Macedonia to Hold Snap Vote on June 05 Despite Protests

Macedonia's Parliament Speaker Trajko Veljanoski has signed a decree setting the date for an early general election, amid protests that followed a presidential decision and demand the vote be postponed.

Veljanoski has already informed the state electoral commission, and the ministries of justice and foreign affairs, state news agency MIA report.

"I believe that all subjects included in the voting process will contribute for elections to go in a peaceful and democratic atmosphere and that each one of us exercises their right to vote and to put their trust in those political subjects it believes can achieve a stable present and a better future," MIA quotes him as saying.

Protests have been held in Macedonia every evening since Tuesday, when President Gjorge Ivanov announced a blanket amnesty for 56 people allegedly involved in a large-scale wiretapping affair.

The decision was met with the disagreement of both the biggest party, conservative VMRO-DPMNE, and the socialist opposition SDSM.

Separate demonstrations are being organized in front of state institutions (and VMRO-DPMNE offices) and the SDSM headquarters.