SKOPJE (AFP) - Macedonia`s three-year peace process survived a key challenge after a referendum failed to overturn EU-backed laws to empower the ethnic Albanian minority, a ruling party official said.
Social Democratic Union (SDU) spokesman Boris Kondarko said turnout was 25 to 27 percent of the 1.7 million voters in the former Yugoslav republic, meaning that an opposition attempt to overturn the laws had failed.
"We have sent a strong message to the EU and NATO today that the citizens know the way ahead and they are counting on your support for integration," SDU Vice President and Defence Minister Vlado Buckovski told state television.
"There were no winners and losers today. Macedonia is more united than ever."
The government and the European Union had called for a boycott of the vote, saying failure to implement the legislation would set back the 2001 Ohrid peace accords and derail Macedonia`s bid to join the EU and NATO.
The laws are the last step in the internationally brokered peace accords which ended seven months of fighting between government forces and ethnic Albanian guerrillas in 2001, narrowly averting another Balkan war.
However the main opposition party and the chief organiser of the plebiscite, VMRO-DPMNE, refused to concede defeat and cried foul over alleged electoral fraud.
"We have faced major fraud because the citizens have not been able to exercise their right to vote in various areas of the country," he told AFP, adding that the party would consider challenging the legality of the poll.
"We are sure if citizens were able to vote the turnout would have been much higher."
Bicikliski complained of irregularities in polling booths and "intimidation" of voters, as as well as dirty tricks by the government including electricity failures.
Three hours before polls were due to close turnout already looked too low to pass the 50-percent minimum. Electoral officials said returns from over 61 percent of electoral districts showed just 15 percent of registered voters had cast ballots.
Under the legislation, ethnic Albanians will gain majorities in the towns of Struga and Kicevo, in the mainly ethnic Albanian west of the country, while Albanian will become the second official language in the capital Skopje.
The reforms sparked riots by the Macedonian majority when they were passed in early August, amid fears they would lead to ethnically-based federalisation or even renewed conflict.
"This law isn`t good for the country and could provoke the ethnic cleansing of Macedonians," said ethnic Macedonian voter Najm Naumov, 64, outside a polling station in Skopje.
Ethnic Albanians account for about 25 percent of the former Yugoslav republic`s two million people, and polling stations in Albanian areas were deserted throughout the day.
"The citizens ... confirmed they don`t want to go back to the past, that they promote the European concept and want to live in peace in a multi-ethnic state," said Emira Mehmeti, spokeswoman for the main ethnic Albanian Democratic Union of Integration which is part of the governing coalition.
The government was given a major boost Thursday when the United States announced it would recognise the country by its constitutional name, the Republic of Macedonia.
The US move enraged Greece, which insists its northern province of Macedonia has a monopoly on the name, but it has been cause for national celebration in the landlocked republic over the weekend.
Opposition groups criticised President Branko Crvenkovski for addressing a celebration rally overnight in the capital, during the 48-hour electoral silence period, in which he offered a "hand of friendship" to Greece.
They also complained that the government had extended drinking hours at bars overnight Saturday, ostensibly to allow the country to toast the US recognition of its name.
"Of course the US decision is welcome but the celebrations should be held at an appropriate time and this is against the election law," said Todor Petrov, president of the World Macedonian Congress opposition grouping.
11/07/2004 - 21:12 GMT - AFP