Skopje, 16 October 2025 (MIA) – Prime Minister and VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickoski remains convinced that VMRO-DPMNE and its coalition will win 45-50 mayoral posts at the upcoming local elections, while main opposition party SDSM will win six “at most”.

Mickoski told a Kanal 5 TV interview he expects VMRO-DPMNE to win between 350.000 and 360.000 votes for council members at the local elections.

“It’s no secret that VMRO-DPMNE and its coalition are ahead of SDSM in all polls. During the campaign, around ten percent of the total vote share tends to be leveled out and usually distributed proportionally like the remaining 90 percent. There aren’t any major deviations, and for these elections I would stick to the forecasts made before the campaign. I feel that we have the citizens' trust and the numbers will reflect what I’ve said. That’s the expected scenario, but there’s also an optimistic one, some of my associates are convinced it will happen, where we win over 50 mayoral posts. However, I would stick to my conservative estimate of between 45 and 50,” Mickoski said.

The VMRO-DPMNE leader assessed that Levica still lacks the capacity to take over SDSM’s position, noting that the maximum votes the party can mobilize is between 50.000 and 70.000. “While SDSM, according to our figures, should be below 150.000 votes,”Mickoski said.

Mickoski said VMRO-DPMNE’s election program has clearly defined aims and projects, adding that SDSM, on the other hand, has been leading a smear campaign from day one.

“The program we presented in these elections comes with clearly defined goals, projects, timelines, values, etc. On the other side, we faced an entirely negative and smear campaign with ad hominem attacks, etc. At no point in this campaign did I insult anyone, yet I read that it would be interesting if, during this campaign, I were found in pieces packed in that suitcase discovered near the VMRO-DPMNE headquarters, which was under reasonable suspicion due to a bomb threat report. That came from a journalist known to be close to SDSM, someone this leadership and certain SDSM-affiliated media outlets cite and publish. To say you don’t hate me but despise me, which is a level above hatred, is truly strange rhetoric, not fitting for someone who is a professor,” Mickoski said.

Photo: VMRO-DPMNE