VMRO-DPMNE and SDSM have reached agreement to schedule the postponed early elections for July 15, reports the TV21 television.

The parties are bitterly disputing the election date, with SDSM demanding that elections take place on July 5, clsoe to the current Second Wave of the coronavirus epidemic, while VMRO demands elcetions in August or September. The opposition party said that July 15 is the earliest date it would consider as feasible. July 15 is Wednesday and both parties are moving toward having elections on a workday.

VMRO-DPMNE representative Antonio Milososki said that the party is currently awaiting to hear from SDSM if they accept July 15. VMRO leader Hristijan Mickoski earlier said that the party will boycott elections on July 5 or 8.

If the conditions are met, if we have a monitoring mission from OSCE/ODIHR and if the necessary healthcare protocols are in place, VMRO-DPMNE will participate in elections on July 15, and will win. As a serious party we maintain lines of communication with all parties and, at this point, we stated our positions and we expect that SDSM will assume responsibility and informs us if they accept holding fair and democratic elections with a reduced risk to public health, Milososki said.

VMRO-DPMNE is expected to hold a meeting of its Central Committee on Monday evening to discuss the political crisis caused by SDSM’s push to unilaterally set the election date. Elections were supposed to take place on April 12, and the Parliament dissolved in line with this date, but the coronavirus epidemic threw a wrench in the plan.