MACEDONIA ON WEDNESDAY ADOPTED A RAFT OF CHANGES TO ITS ELECTORAL LAW THAT THE EUROPEAN UNION SAYS IS KEY TO THE BALKAN COUNTRY'S BID TO JOIN THE BLOC, REUTERS REPORTED. THE NEW LEGISLATION, ADOPTED BY A MAJORITY VOTE IN PARLIAMENT, CLEARS THE WAY FOR PRIME MINISTER VLADO BUCKOVSKI TO CALL A GENERAL ELECTION, POSSIBLY FOR JULY. THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC, WHICH IN DECEMBER BECAME AN OFFICIAL CANDIDATE FOR MEMBERSHIP OF THE 25-NATION EU, IS UNDER PRESSURE TO IMPROVE ITS RECORD ON ELECTIONS. EUROPEAN MONITORS CITED WIDESPREAD IRREGULARITIES IN LOCAL POLLS IN MARCH LAST YEAR. THE EU AND NATO SAY UPCOMING PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS MUST DEMONSTRATE A MARKED IMPROVEMENT IF MACEDONIA, WHICH NARROWLY AVOIDED CIVIL WAR IN 2001, IS TO CONTINUE ITS PROGRESS TOWARDS MEMBERSHIP OF THE TWO BODIES. NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL JAAP DE HOOP SCHEFFER SAID LAST WEEK MACEDONIA SHOULD ENSURE THE NEXT ELECTIONS ARE '110 PERCENT FREE AND FAIR.' MACEDONIA'S GOVERNMENT SAYS THE CHANGES WILL IMPROVE OVERSIGHT AND WEAKEN THE INFLUENCE OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IN THE RUNNING OF THE VOTE. A MEMBER OF THE OPPOSITION WILL IN FUTURE HEAD THE STATE ELECTORAL COMMISSION. --MORE 21 35 LOCAL TIME 18 35 GMT
