North Macedonia got a new government during the night of Sunday to Monday when parliament voted in Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski’s cabinet.

Kovacevski, leader of the Social Democrat Alliance of Macedonia (SDSM), formed a coalition government with the ethnic Albanian Democratic Party for Integration (DUI). The new government follows on the cabinet of Prime Minister Zoran Zaev who stepped down in December.

The new prime minister said that his cabinet would focus on the economy, salaries and pensions, support to companies, development of the energy industry and raising employment levels. He added that it would also open pre-accession negotiations with the European Union.

Kovacevski said that parliamentary elections would be held in 2024, rejecting opposition calls for early elections.

The new North Macedonia government includes 11 SDSM minister, six DUI ministers and three for Afrim Gashi’s Alternativa.

The ruling majority in the North Macedonia parliament (SDSM-DUI) holds 64 of the 120 seats.