Updated

Bowing to domestic and international pressure, Macedonia's president says he is rescinding some of the pardons he issued to politicians accused in a wiretap scandal.

Gjorge Ivanov said in a televised address to the nation Friday that he was annulling 22 of the initial 56 pardons issued.

He did not say whose pardons were being rescinded.

Ivanov in April terminated all criminal proceedings against the 56 public figures, including former Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, to defuse a political crisis.

Macedonia has been in political turmoil since the wiretapping scandal broke in February 2015. Early national elections are scheduled for later this year.