Zoran Zaev resigned as prime minister of North Macedonia on Friday, paving the way for a caretaker government and April elections following the European Union's refusal to start membership talks.

France, supported by Denmark and the Netherlands, strongly opposed membership talks with North Macedonia and Albania, calling for an overhaul of the EU's procedures for admitting new members.

The rebuff, inflicted in October, caused a wave of disappointment in the Balkans.

In North Macedonia, where Prime Minister Zoran Zaev had put all his political weight in the balance to advance his country on the European track, the disappointment had been particularly harsh.

His resignation, which paves the way for a snap election, was delivered to parliament and lawmakers plan to vote later on forming a caretaker cabinet, government spokesman Muamed Hoxha said.

Zaev’s Social Democrat-led government took office in 2017.