Macedonian opposition supporters hold demo in Skopje
Opposition supporters have taken to the streets in the Macedonian capital, Skopje, two months ahead of the country's scheduled national elections.
Tuesday's anti-government demonstration was organized by the main opposition party Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM).
Macedonia has been in a state of political turmoil since a massive wiretapping scandal emerged in February 2015, which revealed conversations of more than 20,000 people, including politicians and journalists, had been spied upon.
Macedonia’s ruling conservatives and the SDSM have traded blame over the scandal.
The government filed charges against Zoran Zaev, the SDSM leader, accusing him of “spying” and attempting to “destabilize” the Balkan country.
The two sides, however, agreed last month to hold early national elections on December 11 and resolve their dispute at the ballot boxes.
The agreement on snap elections was part of a Western-brokered deal designed to end the political crisis, but the election date has already been postponed twice this year.
Many believe the political turmoil in Macedonia is the result of rivalry between the West and Russia over gaining influence in FYROM, or the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
“It is obvious that some are backed by the West and others by Moscow,” Ivo Spasovski, a pensioner, told media. Macedonian politicians have become pawns for “big powers and their games,” he said.
The former Yugoslav republic has a population of 2.1 million with a majority of ethnic Macedonians and a one-quarter minority of ethnic Albanians who demand recognition of their rights.
Macedonia has been a candidate for membership in the European Union since 2005.
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