Voting starts in Macedonia election

SKOPJE (Reuters) – Voting began in Macedonia’s parliamentary election on Sunday, widely seen as a test of its political maturity after campaign violence raised fears its slow march toward EU membership could be further delayed.

Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski’s conservative VMRO-DPMNE party is expected to win, riding a wave of nationalism after Greece blocked a NATO invitation to Macedonia in April in a 17-year dispute over the name it shares with a Greek province.

Polling stations close at 7 p.m. (1700 GMT), and the election will be overseen by about 2,000 local and more than 460 foreign monitors.