Scotland's first minister says the late SNP leader took the party from the fringes of politics to the heart of government.

Mr Salmond, who led the SNP before later founding the Alba party, died at the age of 69 on Saturday afternoon from a suspected heart attack during a trip to North Macedonia.

Scottish political giant and former first minister Alex Salmond, hailed as the founder of the modern Scottish independence movement, has died at age 69, authorities announced Saturday.