A mandate for the formation of government should be handed over ten days after Parliament is sworn in according to constitutional provisions. Parliament is sworn in the day the terms of MPs are verified, the President’s office tells MIA.

Stevo Pendarovski’s office was asked for a comment after outgoing speaker Talat Xhaferi has stated that without a speaker elected, Parliament is not constituted.

In 2016, the then-chairman Trajko Veljanoski sent a letter, dated December 30, 2016, informing then-president Gjorge Ivanov that Parliament had been constituted with the verification of MP terms although speaker hadn’t been elected, Pendarovski’s office explains.

Pendarovski’s office is waiting for chairman Talat Xhaferi’s letter to inform the President that Parliament was sworn in on August 4, 2020 after MP terms were verified.

Regardless of the letter, in accordance with the Constitution, the deadline for handing over the mandate to form a government to the candidate of party/parties having Parliament majority started on August 5, 2020, the President’s office tells MIA.

Earlier, Xhaferi told TV21 that Parliament cannot be constituted without an elected head of the legislative house. He is yet to sent a letter to the head of state regarding the formation of Parliament, which would mark the start of the deadline for handing over a mandate.

The tenth Parliament was sworn in August 4 at a constitutive session held in line with the protocols of health authorities to curb the spread of COVID-19. Out of 120 MPs, 117 attended the session, which took place in Parliament’s Grand Dome hall.

The agenda of the constitutive session included four items, but only the first two were closed. The rest, including the election of Parliament Speaker, deputies and members of the Committee for Election and Appointment Related Issues, will be discussed as soon as adequate conditions are in place, according to Xhaferi.

Macedonia held early parliamentary polls on July 15. The SDSM-led coalition won the elections securing 46 seats whereas VMRO-DPMNE’s coalition won 44. DUI won 15 seats, the Alliance for Albanians-Alternativa coalition 12, Levica two and DPA one.

Under the Constitution, the head of state has ten days after the Parliament’s constitution to hand over the mandate for the formation of government. The PM-designate within 20 days should submit a program to Parliament and nominate candidate for government members. Parliament elect the government with majority of votes.