Government and Politics of Macedonia

Administrative Divisions

85 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina); Aerodrom (Skopje), Aracinovo, Berovo, Bitola, Bogdanci, Bogovinje, Bosilovo, Brvenica, Butel (Skopje), Cair (Skopje), Caska, Centar (Skopje), Centar Zupa, Cesinovo, Cucer-Sandevo, Debar, Debartsa, Delcevo, Demir Hisar, Demir Kapija, Dojran, Dolneni, Drugovo, Gazi Baba (Skopje), Gevgelija, Gjorce Petrov (Skopje), Gostivar, Gradsko, Ilinden, Jegunovce, Karbinci, Karpos (Skopje), Kavadarci, Kicevo, Kisela Voda (Skopje), Kocani, Konce, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani, Krusevo, Kumanovo, Lipkovo, Lozovo, Makedonska Kamenica, Makedonski Brod, Mavrovo i Rastusa, Mogila, Negotino, Novaci, Novo Selo, Ohrid, Oslomej, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman, Saraj (Skopje), Skopje, Sopiste, Staro Nagoricane, Stip, Struga, Strumica, Studenicani, Suto Orizari (Skopje), Sveti Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo, Valandovo, Vasilevo, Veles, Vevcani, Vinica, Vranestica, Vrapciste, Zajas, Zelenikovo, Zelino, Zrnovci note: the ten municipalities followed by Skopje in parentheses collectively constitute "greater Skopje"

Legal System

based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of North Macedonia dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 8 years

Executive Branch

chief of state: President Gordana SILJANOVSKA-DAVKOVA (since 12 May 2024) head of government: Prime Minister Hristijan MICKOSKI (since 23 June 2024) cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by majority vote of all deputies in the Assembly; the current cabinet was formed by the governing coalition led by VMRO-DPMNE along with DUI and several smaller coalition partners elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held on 24 April and 8 May 2024 (next to be held in 2029); prime minister elected by the Assembly following legislative elections election results: Gordana SILJANOVSKA-DAVKOVA elected president in the second round; percent of vote - Gordana SILJANOVSKA-DAVKOVA 65.2%, Stevo PENDAROVSKI 32.0%; she is the first woman to hold the office of president in the country's history

Legislative Branch

unicameral Assembly or Sobranie (120 seats - members elected by popular vote from party lists based on the percentage of the overall vote the parties gain in each of six electoral districts; all serve four-year terms) elections: last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held by fall 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Together for Macedonia coalition 60 (SDSM 43, LDP 12, others 5), VMRO-DPMNE 33 (VMRO 28 and Liberal Party 5), DUI 16, PDSH/DPA 7, PPD/PDP 2, PDK 1, SP 1

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court - the Assembly appoints the judges; Constitutional Court - the Assembly appoints the judges; Republican Judicial Council - the Assembly appoints the judges

Political Parties

Democratic Alliance [Pavle TRAJANOV]; Democratic Alternative or DA [Vasil TUPURKOVSKI]; Democratic League of the Bosniaks [Rafet MUMINOVIC]; Democratic Party of Albanians or PDSH/DPA [Arben XHAFERI]; Democratic Party of Serbs [Ivan STOILJKOVIC]; Democratic Party of Turks [Kenan HASIPI]; Democratic Renewal of Macedonia [Liljana POPOVSKA]; Democratic Republican Union of Macedonia or DRUM [Goran RAFAJLOVSKI]; Democratic Union of Vlachs for Macedonia [leader NA]; Democratic Union for Integration or DUI [Ali AHMETI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE [Nikola GRUEVSKI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Macedonian [Boris STOJMENOV]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-People's Party or VMRO-Narodna [Vesna JANEVSKA, acting]; League for Democracy [Gjorgi MARJANOVIC]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Risto PENOV]; Liberal Party [Stojan ANDOV]; National Alternative [Harun ALIU]; National Democratic Party or PDK [Basri HALITI]; National Farmers' Party [Vejljo TANTAROV]; New Democratic Forces [Hysni SHAQIRI]; New Social Democratic Party [Tito PETKOVSKI]; Party for Democratic Future [Alajdin DEMIRI]; Party for Democratic Prosperity or PPD/PDP [Abduljhadi VEJSELI]; Social Democratic Alliance of Macedonia or SDSM [Vlado BUCKOVSKI]; Socialist Party of Macedonia or SP [Ljubisav IVANOV]; United Party for Emancipation or OPE [Nezdet MUSTAFA]

Head of State

President Gjorge Ivanov

Head of Government

Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski

Cabinet

Council of Ministers elected by the majority vote of all the deputies in the Assembly; note - current cabinet formed by the government coalition parties VMRO/DPMNE, BDI/DUI, and several small parties

Elections

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); two-round election: first round held on 22 March 2009, second round held on 5 April 2009 (next to be held in March 2014); prime minister elected by the Assembly following legislative elections

Election Results

Gjorge IVANOV elected president on second-round ballot; percent of vote - Gjorge IVANOV 63.1%, Ljubomir FRCKOSKI 36.9%

Constitution

adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991; amended November 2001 by a series of new constitutional amendments strengthening minority rights

Independence

8 September 1991

National Holiday

Uprising Day, 2 August (1903); note - also known as Saint Elijah's Day and Ilinden

International Organization Participation

ACCT (associate), BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic Representation in the U.S.

chief of mission: Ambassador Nikola DIMITROV chancery: 1101 30th Street NW, Suite 302, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 337-3063 FAX: [1] (202) 337-3093 consulate(s) general: Southfield (Michigan)

U.S. Diplomatic Representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Gillian A. MILOVANOVIC embassy: Bul. Ilindenska bb, 1000 Skopje mailing address: American Embassy Skopje, Department of State, 7120 Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch) telephone: [389] 2 311-6180 FAX: [389] 2 311-7103

Capital City

Skopje

Location

42 00 N, 21 26 E

Time Difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

History

Skopje derives from its ancient name Scupi, the Latin designation of a classical era Greco-Roman frontier fortress town; the name may go back even further to a pre-Greek, Illyrian name

U.S. Embassy Skopje Samoilova 21, 1000 Skopje, Macedonia Telephone: (389) (2) 310-2000 Emergency after-hours telephone: (389) (2) 310-2000 Facsimile: (389) (2) 310-2299 Email: consularskopje@state.govconsularskopje@state.gov The Consular Section is open for American Citizen Services Monday through Friday from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., except on U.S. and Macedonian holidays. All non-emergency services are by appointment only.

Military Branches

Army of the Republic of Macedonia (ARM; includes General Staff and subordinate Joint Operational Command, Training and Doctrine Command, Special Operations Regiment)

Service Age and Obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2008