SKOPJE, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Leader of the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) Zoran Zaev and his counterpart of the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) Ali Ahmeti reached a deal here on Tuesday on forming a new cabinet which will be headed by Zaev as prime minister.

The deal was announced at a press conference on Tuesday following the meeting of the two-party leaders.

"A coalition agreement was reached between SDSM and 'We can' coalition and DUI party to create a parliamentary majority, to distribute responsibilities, composition and principles of a new government with a full mandate, which in the next four years will work in the interest of citizens and the state," Zaev said.

According to Zaev, coalition partners will be committed to strengthening the economic standard of all citizens, keeping wages growing, investing in new jobs, in clear perspectives for the youth and in balanced regional development, taking special care of the poorest citizens and providing ongoing support to the domestic private sector and continuing attracting foreign investment.

Under the agreement, DUI, an ethnic Albanian party, will appoint a prime minister 100 days before the next general elections, replacing Zaev.

In his remarks at the press conference, Ahmeti expressed his belief that together with Zaev they "have made a positive deal and that this government will be the most successful so far."

Zaev led North Macedonia's previous government from mid-2017 until the beginning of 2020.

"We can" coalition led by SDSM won the July 15 early parliamentary elections, taking 46 seats in the 120-seat parliament, two more than the opposition VMRO-DPMNE party, which won 44.

In the July 15 election, DUI won 15 seats, while the Alliance for Albanians and the Alternativa party won 12 seats.

On Aug. 13, North Macedonia's President Stevo Pendarovski gave the mandate to Zaev as prime minister-designate to form a new government. Enditem

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