North Macedonia,parliament convened for confidence in government

(ANSA) - SKOPJE, JUN 22 - North Macedonia's parliament convened today for the session dedicated to approving the new government led by conservative Hristijan Mickoski, leader of the nationalist Vmro-Dpmne party, wide winner of last month's legislative and presidential elections. According to parliamentary rules, the session for launching the new government lasts a maximum of two days, so that the vote of confidence, at the end of the debate in the chamber, must take place by midnight tomorrow at the latest. Presenting his government program, the prime minister in charge announced a radical economic recovery, massive investment particularly in health, education and culture, increases in wages and pensions, a tough fight against corruption and crime, and reforms to bring the country closer to European standards and raise the living standards of the people. "The time has come when the country must do more for its citizens. You have done a lot for the country, now it is time to do it for you," said Mickoski, who announced allocations of 400 million euros for various reform projects as early as next Tuesday. Mickoski's proposed new government-which will consist of 23 ministers in addition to the premier-is a coalition between Vmro-Dpmne, the Albanian minority formation Vredi and the Znam movement. The majority party, which got 43.1 percent of the vote in the May 8 vote, will get 15 ministries, six to Vredi and two to Znam. There is anticipation for the swearing-in formula, and to see if Mickoski will pronounce the constitutional term 'North Macedonia,' the new name established for the former Yugoslav country under the agreement with Greece signed in Prespa in 2018. New President Gordana Siljanovska Davkova, a candidate of the Vmro-Dpmne and also elected on the ballot in the May 8 double vote, at the swearing-in read the ritual formula referai to 'Macedonia' without the addition of 'North,' provoking protests from Athens, whose leadership, without Skopje's compliance with the agreement, threatens to block its camino toward EU integration.
    North Macedonia joined NATO in 2020, and in July 2022 began negotiations for EU membership along with Albania. (ANSA).