The post was left vacant by the 26 February death of President Boris Trajkovski, who was killed in a plane crash in Bosnia and Herzegovina, along with several of his closest advisers.
Mjesto predsjednika upražnjeno je nakon pogibije Borisa Trajkovskog u zrakoplovnoj nesreći u Bosni i Hercegovini 26. veljače, u kojoj je pored Trajkovskog poginulo nekoliko njegovih najbližih suradnika.