Election violence threatens Macedonia's EU ambitions

Gun battles and reports of voting irregularities in Sunday's elections in EU candidate Macedonia may have scuppered the Balkan country's near-term accession hopes, analysts warn.

Slovenia, which currently holds the bloc's six-month rotating presidency, said the EU "deeply deplored that violence and intimidation accompanied elections in parts of the country."

EU enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn called on Macedonian authorities to "to duly investigate all reported incidents and br...