SKOPJE, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Lawmakers in North Macedonia's parliament voted late Friday to postpone the census, which was scheduled to begin on April 1, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the Media Information Agency, 95 lawmakers voted in favor and 12 against the postponement to September this year.

Leaders of the country's two largest parties, Zoran Zaev, prime minister from the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia, and Hristijan Mickoski, head of the main opposition VMRO-DPMNE party, agreed on March 29 to delay the population survey to September so that more people could receive vaccines first.

Earlier, the government insisted that the census, which was last time carried out in 2002, must be held on schedule, while the opposition said it has to be postponed considering concerns over public health.

"We were seeking a solution in the interests of citizens and the state. I am glad that this has happened," Zaev told reporters after the vote.

The health ministry said the total tally of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country has reached 132,740 so far, with 108,197 recoveries and 3,860 fatalities. Enditem

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