Skopje, 9 March 2024 (MIA) – Seven candidates managed to enter the country’s presidential race after the deadline for the collection of signatures for candidacies ran out on Friday midnight. The first round of the presidential elections is set to be held on April 24.

According to data from the State Election Commission, out of 15 candidates collecting signatures for a presidential bid, only SDSM’s Stevo Pendarovski, VMRO-DPMNE’s Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, DUI’s Bujar Osmani, Arben Taravari from the opposition coalition of the parties of ethnic Albanians – “Worth It”, Stevcho Jakimovski from GROM, Maksim Dimitrievski from ZNAM, and Biljana Vankovska-Cvetkovska from Levica managed to gather the required 10.000 signatures.

The signature collection process took place in 34 SEC offices across the country and before notaries public.

Candidates had to secure at least 10.000 signatures from voters in the electoral roll or receive the support of at least 30 MPs in order to participate in the election.

Participants in the elections have to submit lists with their presidential candidates to the SEC by March 19.

The country will hold its seventh presidential and eleventh parliamentary elections on April 24 and May 8.