Analysts say nationalistic tensions remain high as Macedonia has been struggling to find its own identity since becoming an independent nation in 1991, following the break up of Yugoslavia.

VOA: standard.2009.03.22

Presidential candidate Ivanov has told his supporters he wants to help overcome nationalistic divisions in Macedonia, which narrowly averted civil war in 2001, following a peace deal between ethnic-Albanian fighters and Macedonian security forces.

VOA: standard.2009.03.22