28 December 2021 Skopje – SDSM leader Dimitar Kovachevski met Tuesday with United States Ambassador Kate Marie Byrnes, discussing a number of current topics in the interest of both countries, cooperation, Euro-Atlantic integration, challenges related to the health and energy crises, and formation of the new government. Skopje – Finance Minister Fatmir Besimi and former finance ministers launched an initiative to set up a Council as an expert body that is to be part of Skopje Economic Finance Forum (SEFF) and address current issues and topics that require consensus in society. Skopje – The authorities’ lack of legitimacy is a good enough reason for early parliamentary elections, said Alliance of Albanians (AA) leader Ziadin Sela on Tuesday. Skopje – The second boiler of thermal power plant (TEC) Negotino and the third bloc of mining-energy company (REK) Bitola will be operational in January 2022, said Power Plants of North Macedonia (ESM) director Vasko Kovachevski on Tuesday. Skopje – North Macedonia registered 409 new COVID-19 infections after 4,751 tests were conducted in labs across the country in the past 24 hours. In the same period, nine deaths and 289 recoveries were reported, the Ministry of Health said on Tuesday. Skopje – Malta opened a consulate in Skopje on Tuesday and named Kocho Angjushev honorary consul. Skopje – President Stevo Pendarovski will give the government-formation mandate to SDSM leader Dimitar Kovachevski on Wednesday at 1 p.m, said his Office. Geneva – The World Health Organization (WHO) will miss its target to vaccinate 40 per cent of the population in every country by the end of the year, with the shortfalls especially serious in Africa.