Zoran Zaev (C, front), leader of the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) party, poses for a group photo with members of the new cabinet in Skopje, North Macedonia, Aug. 30, 2020. The parliament of North Macedonia on Sunday approved the country's new government cabinet led by Prime Minister Zoran Zaev. (Photo by Tomislav Georgiev/Xinhua)
SKOPJE, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- The parliament of North Macedonia on Sunday approved the country's new government cabinet led by Prime Minister Zoran Zaev.
After two days of debate until Sunday night, lawmakers voted 62-51 to okay the new cabinet proposed by Zaev, leader of the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) party, according to the Media Information Agency (MIA).
The new cabinet consists of 19 members, seven fewer than before, including Ljupco Nikolovski as deputy PM in charge of the fight against corruption, Fatmit Bitikji as deputy PM for economic affairs, and Nikola Dimitrov as deputy PM for European affairs.
Other members are Oliver Spasovski as interior minister, Radmila Shekerinska as defense minister, Bojan Marichikj as justice minister, Blagoj Bochwarski as minister of transport and communication, Venko Filipche as health minister, Mila Carovska as minister of education and science, Jagoda Shahpaska as minister of labor and social policy, and Irena Stefoska as culture minister.
In addition, Arijanit Hoxha from the Besa Movement has been appointed as minister of agriculture, forestry and water economy, while Goran Milevski from the Liberal Democratic Party is now minister of local self-government.
The ethnic Albanian Democratic Union of Integration (DUI) party, which won 15 seats in the early parliamentary elections and agreed to form a coalition with SDSM, will have Artan Grubi as first deputy PM and minister of political system, Bujar Osmani as minister of foreign affairs, Fatmir Besimi as finance minister, Kreshnik Bekteshi as economy minister, Naser Nuredini as minister of environment, and Jeton Shaqiri as minister of information society and administration.
According to the agreement reached with DUI leader Ali Ahmeti, Zaev will hand the prime minister's office over to an Albanian politician proposed by his partner 100 days before the end of the government's four-year term, in 2024.
Earlier this month, President Stevo Pendarovski of North Macedonia gave Zaev the mandate to form the new government. Enditem
