English
VMRO candidate doctor Aleksandar Jovanovski has a solid lead against his incumbent DUI opponent Fatmir Dehari in the mayoral race in Kicevo. This was seen as the most divisive race in the second round of the elections as it pitted an ethnic Macedonian against an ethnic Albanian candidate.
According to the State Electoral Commission, with 63 percent of the vote processed, Jovanovski has 10,108 votes against 6,833 for Dehari. This race caused a strain in the ruling coalition after top VLEN official Bilal Kasami called on the Albanians in Kicevo to support Dehari, and not his coalition partner from VMRO. After a rebuke from Prime Minister Mickoski, Kasami withdrew his call, and VLEN tacitly endorsed Jovanovski.
Two other races pit Macedonian against Albanian candidates, and caused divisions in the first round. In Brvenica, near Tetovo, VLEN candidate Hakim Ramadani is currently ahead of his VMRO opponent Jovica Ilievski by 700 votes. And in Dolneni, Blerim Ismaili (VLEN) is ahead of Sasko Veljanoski from VMRO by 400 votes.
