Macedonia on Tuesday officially called for a snap parliamentary election on December 11 to try to end a seething political crisis, after the vote was delayed twice this year.
All four main parties have confirmed they will take part in the election that had been initially planned for April and rescheduled for June before being delayed again over opposition claims that conditions had not been met for a free and fair vote.
The Balkan state has been in deep crisis since February 2015, when leader of the main opposition Social Democrats Zoran Zaev began releasing tapes that appeared to reveal official and widespread wiretapping, including of journalists and politicians.
The tapes also appeared to have uncovered corruption among high-ranking officials, including former conservative prime minister Nikola Gruevski.
He was accused of accepting a 20-million-euro ($22-million) bribe from Chinese firms to grant them motorway construction concessions.
After a string of demonstrations, the European Union stepped in to mediate a deal, urging early elections and an independent probe into the corruption allegations revealed by tapes.
The polls could pull Macedonia out of political crisis provided that "the campaign is fair and elections credible," EU delegation chief Samuel Zbogar said.
Zbogar said a new government should strive for the urgent, honest and comprehensive implementation of reforms in order to pull Macedonia out of its crisis.
Political leaders had already agreed in August on the December 11 date but the election was officially called on Tuesday by parliamentary speaker Trajko Veljanoski.
Gruevski stepped down in January to make way for the election after 10 years in power.
Macedonia has been a candidate for EU membership since 2005 but has yet to open accession talks.
Regular polls were due in 2018.
Macedonia on Tuesday officially called for a snap parliamentary election on December 11 to try to end a seething political crisis, after the vote was delayed twice this year.
All four main parties have confirmed they will take part in the election that had been initially planned for April and rescheduled for June before being delayed again over opposition claims that conditions had not been met for a free and fair vote.
The Balkan state has been in deep crisis since February 2015, when leader of the main opposition Social Democrats Zoran Zaev began releasing tapes that appeared to reveal official and widespread wiretapping, including of journalists and politicians.
The tapes also appeared to have uncovered corruption among high-ranking officials, including former conservative prime minister Nikola Gruevski.
He was accused of accepting a 20-million-euro ($22-million) bribe from Chinese firms to grant them motorway construction concessions.
After a string of demonstrations, the European Union stepped in to mediate a deal, urging early elections and an independent probe into the corruption allegations revealed by tapes.
The polls could pull Macedonia out of political crisis provided that “the campaign is fair and elections credible,” EU delegation chief Samuel Zbogar said.
Zbogar said a new government should strive for the urgent, honest and comprehensive implementation of reforms in order to pull Macedonia out of its crisis.
Political leaders had already agreed in August on the December 11 date but the election was officially called on Tuesday by parliamentary speaker Trajko Veljanoski.
Gruevski stepped down in January to make way for the election after 10 years in power.
Macedonia has been a candidate for EU membership since 2005 but has yet to open accession talks.
Regular polls were due in 2018.
