North Macedonia begins procedure for government changes

The agenda of the government session includes proposals for the dismissal of ministers and deputy ministers, as well as the appointment of new ministers.

The government reshuffle includes the removal of the position of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Good Governance, with the responsibilities to become part of the office of Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski.

At Mickoski’s proposal, lawmakers are expected to vote on the dismissal of Justice Minister Igor Filkov from coalition partner ZNAM. He is expected to be replaced by Jeton Shasivari from another coalition partner of VMRO-DPMNE, the Albanian party VLEN.

Ivan Stoilković, chairman of the Democratic Party of Serbs in the country, is expected to be removed as Minister for Intercommunity Relations but will take over another ministry — the Ministry of Local Self-Government. The current Local Self-Government Minister Zlatko Perinski is expected to leave that post, with the prime minister proposing that he take over the Health Insurance Fund, whose current director is Sashko Klekovski.

Klekovski has been nominated by Mickoski for the position of Health Minister, replacing Azir Aliu, who is also a member of VLEN. Fatmir Limani, who was also a VLEN nominee in the current government, is expected to be removed as Minister of Social Policy. His position is set to be taken by Gjoko Velkovski from VMRO-DPMNE, who previously served as deputy minister.

Culture and Tourism Minister Zoran Lutkov from VMRO-DPMNE is also expected to leave his post, with VLEN’s Sedat Sulejmani proposed as his replacement.

Sulejmani previously worked at the same ministry during the country’s previous government.