English
Deputy Prime Minister Izet Mexhiti is announcing a possible run for Mayor of Cair, after former Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani confirmed that he will be running for DUI. Mexhiti is the top leader of the VLEN coalition and this would make the mayoral race in Cair the definitive showdown between VLEN and DUI.
DUI invested heavily in the race, tapping DUI affiliated Skopje Mayor Danela Arsovska to do a much publicized campaign attacking the current Cair Mayor Visar Ganiu of corruption. Ganiu is accused of allowing illegal construction in the municipality and helping the investors legalize their homes in violation of the law.
If DUI enters the race with a deputy leader of the party who was candidate for President of the country, we will respond in kind, said Mexhiti, all but confirming that he will leave the Government post to run for his old post as Mayor of Cair.
DUI hopes that a win in Cair and Skopje’s Saraj municipality will allow them to claim victory in some of the largest majority Albanian municipalities. DUI is also having its ally Ziadin Sela run for Mayor of Struga, and will likely support former VLEN co-leader Arben Taravari in his race in Gostivar.
Mexhiti noted that this also means that DUI is abandoning the races in important cities and leaving them to other parties, with whom they are currently allied. “DUI is diving up on the race in 7-8 municipalities and will compete in only seven. Currently it holds a dozen municipalities, but is reducing itself to 7 at the most”, Mexhiti said.
