Berlin Hopeful Macedonian Poll Will Bring Stability
June 16, 2008
The spokesman expressed the hope that the outcome of the vote on Sunday would help heal divisions in the nation of 2.1 million people.
About 25 percent of the population are ethnic Albanians and a large majority are ethnic Macedonians. The ethnic groups came close to civil war during violent clashes in 2001, which EU mediation ended.
The first round of voting on June 1 had to be aborted in about 190 election districts after violent clashes in the Albanian-dominated north-west that left one person dead.
Better, but not perfect
International monitors said that while the re-run was free of violence, the accompanying tension and intimidation meant it still did not meet some key standards.
The monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) welcomed a "considerable improvement" in the security situation, but added that "cases of tensions and intimidation remained evident in the run-up to and on June 15."