Skopje, 8 February 2023 (MIA) — The ruling SDSM party will convene its executive board and its central board on Thursday, sources from the party told MIA. Party leader and Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski is expected to present the outcome of the talks with the Alliance for Albanians for them to join the government. The PM is also expected to present the offer made to Alternativa, the current coalition partner whose leader Afrim Gashi he met with on Wednesday.

Alternativa party members declined to comment on the negotiations, saying they would decide on their future steps after the new government coalition is officially formed.

Earlier, sources from the Alliance for Albanians said the party had reached an agreement to join the government coalition and get three ministerial posts in the future government. Their party members were to be appointed Minister of Justice and Minister of Health, and either Deputy Prime Minister in charge of Economic Affairs or Minister of Information Society and Administration, they said. 

Even though SDSM sources told MIA talks on the new parliamentary majority were ongoing and no decisions were final yet, the AA sources said it had been agreed the party would also get the posts of Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy and Deputy Minister of Defense as well as two state secretary posts, one in the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy and another one in another ministry.

AA had also negotiated to have their party members appointed heads of North Macedonia’s Postal Service; MEPSO; the State Educational Inspectorate; and the Agency for the Management of Confiscated Property. Their members were also to be appointed deputy directors of the Customs Administration; the Public Revenue Office; and Power Plants of North Macedonia, they said.

Earlier, party sources told MIA that Kovachevski would hold a meeting with current coalition partners before announcing the final agreement with AA.

After the meeting, the prime miinister is expected to also meet with AA leader Arben Taravari to confirm the ministerial posts the party would get to fill as the newest government partner. mr/