Executive reorganization concluded, Zulfiqar Zejnulla assumes the post of minister without portfolio

The restructuring process of the government cabinet, earlier signaled by Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, fully took shape today. The legislature approved the appointment of Zulfiqar Zejnulla, leader of the Democratic Party of Turks, to the post of minister without portfolio.

The decision for this new position came after the finalization of a co-governing agreement between the Democratic Party of Turks and VMRO-DPMNE. As part of this justification, lawmaker Bejxhan Iljas, who had secured a mandate from the ranks of the European Front led by BDI, crossed over to the side of the parliamentary majority. As a result, the ruling coalition of VMRO-DPMNE now relies on 59 deputies, including the existing allies VLEN and ZNAM.

The procedure for decreeing Zejnulla was handled in isolation from that of other new ministers, in order to implement the provision that allows the head of government to change up to one third of the cabinet members. An attempt to exceed this threshold would turn the process into an approval for an entirely new government.

During the presentation of the candidacy before the people’s representatives, Mickoski argued that institutional leadership requires figures with accountability, dedicated to solving the concerns of the population. He emphasized the necessity of a political dialogue that serves as a bridge rather than a source of division.

The opposition camp, meanwhile, emphasized that beyond the appointee’s ethnic origin, his platform and abilities to exercise the mandate carry greater weight. They described this move as just another agreement of a purely partisan nature.

According to official biographical data, Zejnulla has professional experience in state administration and the security field. From 2021 to 2024, he held the position of deputy director at the Directorate for Protection and Rescue. Earlier, he served as an advisor to the Municipal Council of Gostivar, contributed to the legal sector of the Democratic Party of Turks, and also has a work history in the private sector.

A graduate of the Criminology program at the Faculty of Security, ‘St. Clement of Ohrid’ University in Bitola, Zejnulla commands, besides his native Turkish, also Macedonian, Albanian, German, and Serbian.