The Macedonian people on Sunday exercised their democratic right to vote for their political leadership in parliamentary elections.

OSCE monitors and consultants for the International Republican Institute (IRI) have initially assessed this first round of the elections to have been well conducted, in accordance with OSCE commitments and Council of Europe standards.

U.s. embassy observer teams working with ODIHR and Parliamentary Assembly consistently reported a good turnout, an excellent understanding of the process, and a positive, cooperative atmosphere.

The multi-party election boards functioned well, with excellent cooperation and a sense of camaraderie, even in ethnically mixed districts.

Minor irregularities were reported in nearly all polling places observed. But we do not view them as serious or as influencing the outcome of the vote. Most problems were associated with lack of voters' id or problems with voters' lists.

We anticipate that there will be vigorous political discussions in Macedonia in the period leading to the second round of elections on November 1. Vigorous political discussions do not worry us; on the contrary, they are a sign of healthy political life.