Alfa TV reports that Defense Minister Radmila Sekerinska turned down the offer of ambassadorship to Washington in hope she will get to become Speaker of the Parliament.

Macedonia has been without an ambassador to the US, among other key posts, despite the fact that the SDSM party holds both the Presidency and much of the Government as well as the Foreign Ministry, positions crucial to appointing ambassadors. Alfa reports that President Pendarovski offered Sekerinska to be a high profile ambassador to Washington, but that she refused the proposal hoping to remain a key part of the next ruling coalition.

SDSM is negotiating a new coalition with DUI but given how narrowly split the Parliament is the outcome is still uncertain. Sekerinska herself was under heavy criticism these past days after she did not visit the memorial of the 10 Macedonian soldiers killed by Albanian terrorist UCK/NLA group in the Karpalak attack during the 2001 war. The NLA then morphed into the DUI party. During the election campaign Sekerinska caused outrage when she posed in front of UCK regalia in the office of Kicevo Mayor Fatmir Dehari.