Skopje parliament sits for first time since vote

North Macedonia’s newly elected lawmakers took ir seats on Tuesday for first time since country’s July 15 elections, wearing masks and maintaining social distancing due to COVID-19 pandemic.

formal first session of parliament starts a 10-day countdown for leer of party that came first in elections to conclude complicated power-sharing negotiations with smaller parties.

If se talks fail n second party will have a go.

Lawmakers met in a specially prepared parliamentary hall that allowed m to be spaced two meters (6.5 feet) apart, while temperature checks were carried out on politicians as y arrived.

North Macedonia, with a population of just two million, is one of worst-affected countries in Balkans.

By Monday, country h more than 11,000 confirmed cases, with 500 deaths.

In last month's elections, a coalition heed by pro-Western Social Democrats garnered only 46 seats in 120-seat parliament, well short of 61 that y must secure to be granted mandate to form a government.

Social Democrat leer and former prime minister Zoran Zaev said on Tuesday he is starting power-sharing talks and is expected to begin with two parties representing country's sometimes restive ethnic Albanian minority.

Democratic Union for Integrations, or DUI, has been part of coalition governments for past 18 years.

But party is demanding that an ethnic Albanian be appointed prime minister - a demand flatly rejected by main political parties during election campaign.

DUI won 15 seats in July’s election, while anor coalition of two small ethnic Albanian parties, Alliance for Albanians –Alternative, won 12 seats.

centre-right VMRO-DPMNE party, which came a close second in election, holds 44 seats.

(Image Credit Pixabay)