SKOPJE, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Macedonian parliament speaker Talat Xhaferri Sunday informed that Macedonia would hold local elections on Oct. 15.
Speaking at a press conference, Xhaferri declared that he had signed an order calling for local elections for municipal councils and Mayors of all municipalities, including that of capital city, Skopje.
"The respected citizens of Macedonia deserve a fair, democratic and peaceful election process," Xhaferri said after the signing of the order.
The speaker called on all participants in this process to act in line with the country's constitution during the electoral campaign and election day too.
Xhaferri further informed that electoral campaign for local elections of Oct. 15 would be open 20 days prior to election day.
In this regard, he said that Macedonian parliament would work but not convene in order to prevent plenary sessions from turning into pre-electoral campaign rallies.
The mandate of current mayors and city councils has expired since May, thus creating an institutional deadlock. The local elections were postponed due to political crisis here and lack of a new government. Now that Macedonia has the new government and new parliament speaker, the latter set Oct. 15 as the day of local elections.
