Skopje, 18 September 2025 (MIA) - Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski told Alsat M TV Thursday evening that the government coalition will win the local elections.

“According to the numbers and polls, the government coalition is ahead,” Mickoski noted.

When asked about Levica running its own candidates in Tetovo, Gostivar, and Struga, with the reasoning that they do not forget western Macedonia, he said that Levica is, in effect, helping DUI.

“You participate in elections to win. Levica says they do not forget western Macedonia and will have candidates in Tetovo, Gostivar, and Struga. But why don’t they run candidates in other municipalities in western Macedonia? If you know you cannot win but still nominate someone, you are either being unfair to the candidate or you have a political arrangement to act as a proxy while another candidate wins,” Mickoski said.

Mickoski also explained why VMRO-DPMNE and its coalition will have a mayoral candidate in Kichevo but not in Tetovo, Gostivar and Struga.

“In Kichevo, we expect to win. In Tetovo, Gostivar and Struga and other municipalities where we do not expect victory, we will not run our own candidate and will instead back our coalition partner,” Mickoski stated.

Regarding DUI, he refuted allegations that his criticism of corruption and crime is meant to raise the party’s rating. Asked if any DUI members have been arrested following the accusations, he said there are around 20 criminal cases against senior DUI officials, but the reason they have not been prosecuted and remain free is determined by the prosecution and the courts, not by the government.

Mickoski also reminded that he had said DUI would go into opposition, which has indeed taken place, and they have now spent 15 months in opposition.

“We cannot suddenly repair everything that has been destroyed over decades. Much has been done, and much more remains. We are the only government to have detained a minister from our own ranks, something that has never happened before, even though many ministers in the past engaged in such deviant behavior. We promised honest and diligent work, and that is what we have delivered over the past 15 months. There are no daily scandals of theft, crime, or high-level corruption like in previous years,” he said.

As for whether the current government is responsible, he emphasized that citizens will decide that in the elections.

Photo: screenshot