Yesterday’s elections in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia are an important step in resolving the ongoing political crisis in the country. The OSCE, which has aided the electoral process from the beginning by providing a large number of election observers and extensive technical support, reports that the elections generally proceeded peacefully.

It is now important that the government be formed quickly and that it use its mandate to undertake urgent reforms. The country rapidly needs convincing results in the fields of the rule of law, the judiciary, public administration, freedom of the media and freedom of expression. The special prosecutor’s office must be able to continue working freely to identify and take action against cases of abuse of power.

This is a prerequisite for people regaining trust in their country’s institutions. Only in this way will movement towards closer relations with the EU and the US be possible again.