Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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March 22, 2009

Macedonians Choose a New President
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=230D2BF:A6F02AD83191E16052CC9A3EA7406538D937473925D9872C&
 
Seven candidates are seeking the presidency, with Gjorgje Ivanov, from
the country's largest party (VMRO-DPNME), ahead in pre-election voter
surveys 
Citizens of Macedonia are voting for a new president in an election seen
as a test of the Balkan nation's ability to hold fair and violence-free
elections. A worker distributes ballot boxes in Skopje, Macedonia, 21
Mar 2009, one day before presidential and local elections Seven
candidates are seeking the presidency, with Gjorgje Ivanov, from the
country's largest party (VMRO-DPNME), ahead in pre-election voter
surveys. Analysts say he is unlikely to gain a first-round victory, so a
runoff is expected on April 5. Voters are also choosing mayors and city
councils Sunday. Last year, fraud and gunfights between rival
ethnic-Albanian parties marred Macedonia's parliamentary elections. One
person died and several others were wounded in the violence, the worst
since an ethnic uprising in 2001. The European Union has said a repeat
of such election problems would put at risk Macedonia's chance to begin
EU membership talks. About 7,000 Macedonian and 500 foreign election
observers are monitoring the vote. Former Interior Minister Ljubomir
Frckoski of the opposition Social Democratic Union of Macedonia was
running second to Ivanov in pre-election polls, with ethnic-Albanian
candidate Imer Selmani running third. Outgoing President Branko
Crvenkovski is not seeking a second term.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.

 


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