N. Macedonia's political leaders agree to hold elections on July 15

July 15, Wednesday, will be a non-working day for all citizens, as chronically ill people and coronavirus patients will vote on July 13 and July 14, Zaev told a press conference broadcasted on SDSM's YouTube channel on Monday.

North Macedonia's president Stevo Pendarovski late on Monday declared a new eight-day state of emergency starting June 15 that will allow the government to adapt election laws through decrees in the absence of a sitting parliament, the office of the country's president said.

In March, the leaders of the biggest parties represented in the parliament, SDSM's Zaev and VMRO-DPMNE's Hristijan Mickovski, agreed to postpone the early general election scheduled for April 12 due to the spread of the coronavirus disease.

North Macedonia's parliament dissolved on February 16 after in October Zaev decided to call early general elections. His decision was prompted by the European Union leaders' failure to agree on opening accession negotiations with the Western Balkan country.

The European Council has said it will revert to the issue before the EU-Western Balkans summit in Zagreb in May.

The Council granted North Macedonia the status of a EU candidate country in 2005.