A senior European Union official says Macedonia’s political leaders have agreed to hold early elections by the end of April next year in order to overcome a deep political crisis.
EU enlargement commissioner Johannes Hahn made the announcement in Skopje on June 2 after a daylong meeting with Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, main opposition leader Zoran Zaev, and other key political actors in Macedonia.
Hahn said details of the EU-brokered agreement are expected to be hammered out next week in Brussels.
The agreement signals a possible end to months of turmoil in the Balkan country.
Gruevski’s conservative government has been under pressure since January over a raft of damaging wire-tap disclosures released by the opposition, which is seeking his resignation.
Both sides have held major street protests.