However, the statement said that "given the current scale of organisational change, Dr Flanagan feels that the appropriate time to take this step is now".

BBC: Northern Health Trust boss Sean Donaghy to step aside

In a statement, Rio Tinto chairman Jan du Plessis said the scale of the write-down was "unacceptable".

BBC: Rio Tinto boss Tom Albanese resigns over $14bn write-down

"This is causing growing protest in Macedonian society, signs of which were large-scale demonstrations in front of the country's parliament, " Yakovenko said in the statement.

CNN: EU: Trajkovski in control