Macedonian Prime Minister and leader of the ruling VMRO DPMNE Nikola Gruevski greets his supporters in Skopje, June 2, 2008.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    SKOPJE, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Macedonia's Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski won a landslide victory on Sunday in the country's first early election since the country gained independence in 1991.

    President of the state electoral commission Jovan Josifovski said the VMRO-DPMNE party led by Gruevski had won 48.13 percent of the votes, far ahead of the Social Democrats' 22.19 percent, with votes from 82 percent of polling stations counted.

Supporters of the ruling VMRO DPMNE party celebrate their victory in parliamentary elections in the center of Skopje, on June 2, 2008.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    The Democratic Party of Albanians led by Menduh Thaci garnered 10.13 percent, while the ethnic Albanian Democratic Union for Independence got 11.26 percent.

    "If this trend continues, our coalition will win over 60 parliamentary seats," Gruevski said. Macedonia's parliament has 120 seats.

    But Sunday's election was marred by violence and irregularities. One man was shot dead, several others wounded in shootouts.

    Authorities suspended voting in 22 polling stations _ 1 percent of the country's total.

    Police were hunting for troublemakers in the elections.

    "I congratulate VMRO-DPMNE on its results, but the price paid during the elections was too high," opposition leader Radmila Sekerinska said, referring to the unrest.

    In his victory speech, Gruevksi voiced regret over the violence, extended condolences to the victims' families and wished for peaceful re-runs at the affected areas.

    "Let's show to the outside world that Macedonia deserves a better economy and life, we will push forward towards the European Union and NATO," Gruevski said.

    Gruevski expressed his gratitude to the international community for bringing Macedonia closer to the EU and NATO, and then offered comforting words to the losing opposition party of the Social Democrats.

    "At each election, there must be winners and losers. But in the end, Macedonia wins, so does the will of all the citizens of this country," Gruevski said.