Former rebel ousts coalition

OPPOSITION parties led

Premier Ljubco Georgievski confirmed that the ruling Macedonian party, known as VMRO, was ousted from the government in Sunday's parliamentary elections by the opposition Together for Macedonia coalition, led by former communist Branko Crvenkovski.

"At this moment, it is fully clear that we will not be able to form a new government and we are congratulating the winner," Georgievski said. "These were the most democratic elections in the history of Macedonia. VMRO will remain a strong opposition, and good luck to the winners."

Georgievski's concession came just hours after the leader of the Democratic Party of Albanians, the junior partner in the governing coalition, acknowledged defeat to a new party headed by a former rebel leader.

Arben Xhaferi, leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Albanians, conceded the election to former rebel leader Ali Ahmeti, whose Union for Democratic Integration claimed a landslide win.

"We will co-operate with Ahmeti's party and work for the Albanian cause," Xhaferi said.

Jubilant supporters were celebrating at Ahmeti's campaign headquarters near the northwestern city of Tetovo, chanting, singing and playing traditional Albanian instruments as bodyguards armed with Kalashnikov rifles stood guard outside. Celebratory gunfire also rang out in the capital, Skopje.

Ahmeti, who advocates ethnic reconciliation, enjoys almost hero status among many ethnic Albanians, although Macedonians consider him a terrorist and the authorities have issued a warrant for his arrest.

Georgievski's party was ousted amid widespread voter discontent with a government perceived as corrupt and indifferent.

Signs outside polling stations warned voters to leave their guns at home, but the parliamentary vote a crucial test of Macedonia's fragile peace was free of major violence.

State television said the turnout surpassed 70%, the strongest in 20 years.

The vote for the 120-seat parliament was the fourth since Macedonia peacefully split from Yugoslavia in 1991. It was considered critical in defusing lingering tensions between Christian Orthodox Macedonians and minority Muslim ethnic Albanians.

Ethnic Albanians held just 24 seats going into Sunday's elections, where more than 3,300 candidates from 30 parties were competing for seats.

The real test comes later this month, when the winning parties attempt to form a new coalition government.

Together for Macedonia projected winning 67 seats and said VMRO would take 34; 13 would go to Ahmeti's party and smaller ethnic Albanian parties would share the rest.

If confirmed, the ethnic Albanians would lose five seats.