The government and the opposition remained their stiff positions following the visit of Stefano Sannino, Director of the Directorate General for Enlargement of the EU, and a group of MEPs to Skopje, Dnevnik comments.

The opposition led by SDSM is determined not to run in the local elections on 24 March without an agreement on holding early parliamentary elections. Prime Minister and VMRO-DPMNE leader Nikola Gruevski and his coalition partner Ali Ahmeti are just as determined not to hold early general elections. They have again invited Branko Crvenkovski to participate in the local elections for the benefit of the country.