Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov announced Tuesday the new composition of the Security Council, five months after his re-election as head of state and more than three months after the election of the new government of VMRO-DPMNE. The second partner in office, BDI, which refused to recognize President Ivanov's legitimacy, had no representatives to the Council, Utrinski vesnik reports.

In addition to Professor Veli Kreci, who was a member of the Council before as well, President Ivanov assigned two new members. In keeping with the regulations stipulating that the council members have to reflect the ethnic structure of the Macedonian population, Ivanov secured a seat on the Council to former PDSH Member of Parliament Flora Kadriu, and to Naser Sejdini, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Macedonian Army.

The other five officials whose membership of the Council is implied by the office they currently fill are Parliament Speaker Trajko Veljanoski, Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski and the Ministers of Defense, Foreign Affairs, and Interior, Zoran Jolevski, Nikola Poposki and Gordana Jankuloska.

The Security Council, whose status is defined by the Constitution, raises issues related to national security and defense and puts forward suggestions to the Parliament and Government. It is chaired by the head of state who is also the Supreme Commander of the Macedonian Army.