Skopje, 2 March 2024 (MIA) - VMRO-DPMNE is set to hold Saturday a convention for the election of a presidential candidate, with Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova as the only nominee.

The presidential candidate will address the convention after the meeting of the party presidency, followed by a two-hour break for the vote. The candidate will then deliver an address, along with leader Hristijan Mickoski, VMRO-DPMNE said in a press release.

Two panels including high-ranking party officials and dedicated to the mandate of the head of state will take place prior to the official part of the convention.

Siljanovska-Davkova, a current MP, was VMRO-DPMNE's presidential candidate back in 2019. She is a professor of constitutional law and political system at the Faculty of Law within the Skopje-based University Ss.Cyril and Methodius. She is a UN expert on elections and vice-chair of the Council of Europe group of independent experts on local self-government. Siljanovska-Davkova has authored hundreds of academic papers on constitutional law and political system.

SDSM will hold its congress on Sunday and support incumbent President Stevo Pendarovski for a second term.

Both Siljanovska-Davkova and Pendarovski have said they will collect the required 10,000 signatures for a presidential bid. Five other candidates have already collected the citizens' signatures - Maksim Dimitrievski of ZNAM, Bujar Osmani of DUI, Stevcho Jakimovski of GROM, Arben Taravari of opposition alliance "Worth It", and Biljana Vankovska of Levica.

The first round of the presidential elections will take place on April 24, with the runoff slated for May 8, held in parallel with the parliamentary elections.

MIA file photo