ATHENS, April 6 (RIA Novosti) - The candidate of
Macedonia's ruling conservative party won a landslide victory
in Sunday's presidential polls, election officials said on
Monday.
With almost all the votes counted, Gjorgje Ivanov led the
run-off with 63.4%. His Social Democratic rival Ljubomir
Frckoski received 36.6%, the election commission said, adding
turnout was only slightly above the required 40%.
During his campaign, Ivanov had vowed to secure NATO and
EU membership for the former Yugoslav republic without
concessions to Greece, which has blocked its NATO bid demanding
Macedonia first change its name. Athens fears Macedonia could
claim a Greek province of the same name.
The president is a largely ceremonial post in Macedonia,
but Ivanov's victory will consolidate the power of the prime
minister, fellow-conservative Nikola Gruevski.
European Union monitors said no major violations or
violence took place during the poll.
News
