Nikoloski: No parliamentary elections in autumn, don’t expect Taravari to cooperate with DUI
Skopje, 28 April 2025 (MIA) - Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Aleksandar Nikoloski told an interview Monday parliamentary elections would not be held alongside the local elections in autumn.
“The citizens clearly expressed their will and said who they think should lead the government last year. We have almost a two-third majority of 78 MPs, with an interest in its further increase. If we wanted to, we could probably have over 81–82 MPs without any issues. So, I think the citizens were clear last year. There are regular elections. The citizens will show up and say who they want their councilors and mayors to be, and this is the entirety of this year’s electoral activities. We will compete again [at the regular parliamentary elections] in 2028. This is a closed issue. Only local elections will be held this autumn,” Nikolovski said in an interview for 360 Degrees.
Regarding the conflict within the VLEN coalition which is a part of the Government and media reports that Alliance for Albanians leader and Health Minister Arben Taravari is negotiating with DUI, Nikoloski said there are no official announcements by Taravari that he will form a coalition with DUI, but if that happens, “the reality will change”.
“He is very politically experienced. Perhaps I am the one that I have criticized him the most in this Government, but if we set this aside, it is a fact that he is politically experienced and I don’t think he is so naive to start cooperating with DUI. I think the public is undermining him as well a bit and I don’t expect him to take steps that would lead to his political suicide. I would be surprised if he were to show such political naïveté. Of course, I can’t exclude such a scenario, but I would be very surprised,” Nikoloski said.
Nikoloski said apart from a potential cooperation with DUI there are no other reasons why VMRO-DPMNE or the Prime Minister would consider breaking off its partnership with Taravari.
The Deputy PM urged the partners within the VLEN coalition to negotiate and overcome their misunderstandings.
Photo: MIA Archive
