Mickoski on early elections: Chances are slim, but never say never
Skopje, 26 November 2025 (MIA) – VMRO-DPMNE and the coalition will participate in the coming elections in four municipalities, which didn’t elect a mayor on October 19 due to low turnout. Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, who is also the leader of the ruling party, said Wednesday he met with the party legal commission this past weekend and additional decisions will be made over the party’s participation.
“We’re focused on the December 6 [party] congress. We’re preparing for the elections, documents are being prepared according to the law after my meeting this past weekend with the party’s legal commission. VMRO-DPMEN and the coalition will participate, but we’re yet to decide in which form,” Mickoski said when asked by reporters before today’s forum of civil organizations.
Asked if the country will hold early parliamentary elections, Mickoski said 2026 will be a challenging year.
“We have to secure over 2.2 billion euros to pay off debts from the past. If we formed a caretaker government, it would have limited manoeuvring capabilities and we would find it hard to resume the trend we’re experiencing, especially in the economy,” said Mickoski.
If I were to think politically and along party lines, he stressed, it would be in our interest to have early parliamentary elections in the spring.
“But we’d like to think like statesmen. Better economy, better living conditions are in the interest of the citizens… Never say never, but chances are slim,” the prime minister stated.
Repeated mayoral elections will be held on January 11 in the municipalities Gostivar, Mavrovo and Rostushe, Vrapchishte and Centar Zhupa.
On Tuesday, the government appointed administrators in the municipalities of Mavrovo Rostushe, Gostivar, Centar Zhupa, and Vrapchishte, where no mayors were elected at the October local elections since the turnout threshold wasn’t met.
Oner Jakuposki has been appointed administrator of the Municipality of Mavrovo Rostushe, Arjan Ibraim in the Municipality of Centar Zhupa, Bunjamin Kadriu in Vrapchishte, and Fadil Xhelili in Gostivar.
