Skopje, 29 September 2025 (MIA) - We won't be surprised if we win more than 50 mayoral seats but the expected number is 45-50 plus the capital, says PM and VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickoski.

Mickoski told 360 Degrees this number would eclipse the 2021 result, when the party got 42 mayors. On SDSM, he expects the party to win between zero and six mayoral seats.

When it comes to the votes for council members, he expects the number to drop compared to last year's parliamentary elections, when the VMRO-led coalition won 430,000 votes, considering the number of independent lists at the ballot and the fact that some of the parties within their coalition would go solo in certain municipalities.

"I expect between 40-43 percent of votes for the council members, but the number could rise as the campaign goes on," says Mickoski.

He hopes that the coalition would receive over 400,000 votes, thus posting the best-ever result at local elections in the country, while saying the support has not dropped but rather "gained added potential".

Asked if his conscience is clear by nominating Orce Gjorgjievski as candidate for Skopje mayor after backing the incumbent Danela Arsovska, who has not delivered on her promises, the VMRO-DPMNE leader says he has known Gjorgjievski for a long time.

"He has become a man we can rely on and trust, an ambitious man who offers solutions for problems and a person who solves problems and does not run away from them. A hardworking and honest man who showed what he is made of as Kisela Voda mayor. I am certain we will make a difference in the first minutes upon assuming the post of Skopje Mayor. Together, we will make a historic difference to what we had in the past," says Mickoski.

He believes that Gjorgjievski will win the election in the first round, urging people to vote for him so he can immediately show results, including tyhe Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project promoted by former Skopje mayor Petre Shilegov.

"We are not giving up on this project, but it will be modified and enlarged," says Mickoski and adds that talks with European financial institutions would be renewed, since "a loan is required for this project, followed by amendments of the technical solution".

The VMRO-DPMNE leader says there will be no early elections, noting they were in opposition for three more years after the 2021 local elections, despite winning by a double or even a triple margin over SDSM.

Asked if VMRO-DPMNE will support the candidates from the ruling coalition - Maksim Dimitrievski (Kumanovo) and Miroslav Labudovikj (Centar) of ZNAM, Bilal Kasami (Tetovo) and Izet Mexhiti (Chair) of VLEN - Mickoski says he will personally urge people to vote for them, while party activists will work for their campaigns.

In addition, VMRO-DPMNE will support Mendi Qira, the independent candidate supported by Vlen, in Struga.

Mickoski does not expect Levica to win in a certain municipality, saying "their strategy is clear, they serve as DUI's proxy".

Photo: VMRO-DPMNE