The census in North Macedonia will be postponed to September

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During the Leaders’ meeting yesterday between Prime Minister Zoran Zaev and the opposition party’s leader Hristijan Mickoski, it was agreed that the census in North Macedonia will be postponed from April to September, i.e between the 5th and 30th of September this year. This is the key issue that the leaders of the biggest political parties have agreed upon.

VMRO-DPMNE will not boycott the forthcoming census, and in return, the authorities have agreed to postpone the implementation of the census.

Because of this, the local elections in autumn will be postponed from the first half of October to the second half of October.

Zaev announced that during the pause during the debate for postponement of the census he consulted the Albanian parties that are part of the government – DUI and BESA, and they all agreed on this issue. He even consulted the government, including the director of the State Statistical Office. Concerning this issue, the prime minister will consult with the leaders of the Albanian opposition – The Alliance of the Albanians and Alternative.

In the meantime, despite the postponement of the census by September, the web applications for evidencing the diaspora will be open for the emigrants until September, and the diaspora will be able to self-register until the census is carried out.

Starting from tomorrow, the amendments in the Election Code will have to enter into a parliamentary procedure for the introduction of a fingerprint scanner during the voting process and the Governement agrees to meet this request on part of the opposition in order to secure its participation at the forthcoming local elections.

On the other hand, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said that the opposition party VMRO-DPMNE has agreed to unblock the Parliament including the adoption of the Law on building the new Clinical center in Skopje, the appointign of the new managers at MRT and the AVMU, the adoption of the new law for the extension of the deadline for the legalization of the illegally built buildings in the country, as well as necessary financial support for the economy with the fifth COVID aid package.

Opposition party leader Hristijan Mickoski said that today’s meeting was successful, and with Zaev, they have left an open door for other meetings between the authorities and the opposition. Regarding the forthcoming elections, Mickoski said that concerning the Election Code they also spoke about the implementation of recommendations provided by OSCE and ODIHR, and there will be negotiations for the introduction of open lists for counselor lists at the forthcoming local elections and for the election of a mayor during the first round of the local elections with won 30% of the votes. The first request was made by the government and the second by the opposition.

VMRO-DPMNE’s president confirmed that his party will unblock the Parlaiment.