VLEN seeks two new deputy minister posts as government changes expected at the second tier

Following the agreement reached with Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, the VLEN coalition is expected to receive the deputy minister posts at the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Policy.

Sources within the coalition say that the candidates’ names have been forwarded to the prime minister for final approval, INA reports.

The reorganization of the cabinet in July meant that VLEN no longer headed these two ministries, which is why changes are now expected at the government’s second tier. The coalition argues that the redistribution is necessary to preserve the political balance among the governing partners.

To secure the two positions without changing the overall number of posts it holds in the government, VLEN must give up two other deputy minister positions.

One of them is the post at the Ministry of Agriculture, where the minister comes from the ZNAM movement. VMRO-DPMNE is expected to take over this position.

The deputy minister post at the Ministry of Culture will also be vacated. It may go to VMRO-DPMNE or ZNAM, while the current minister of this portfolio is part of VLEN.

The coalition also expects to secure another deputy minister post, in addition to those it holds in Energy and Digital Transformation.

Prime Minister Mickoski has announced that filling the vacancies and making changes in the government’s second tier will be completed in the second half of October./INA/