The Administrative Court decided today that there will be no revote in a polling station in the rural municipality of Zelino near Tetovo. The race, which was won by a candidate of the BESA party by 70 votes ahead of the DUI party candidate, was used as pretext for BESA to leave the SDSM led coalition.

BESA accused SDSM of helping DUI in its push to hold a revote in the polling station, where a different outcome could have reversed the mayoral race and given Zelino city hall to DUI. BESA felt cheated, submitted an appeal before the Administrative Court, but far more importantly – walked out of the coalition and joined the opposition in its push to remove SDSM and DUI from power. BESA already beat DUI in the far more important mayoral race in Tetovo, and feels greatly emboldened to take on its coalition partner and rival.

It’s not clear whether the decision by the Administrative Court to protect BESA’s victory in Zelino will affect the outcome of the vote on Thursday to bring down the Zaev Government. The opposition has the 61 votes necessary to vote Zaev out, but one MP on the list is shaky.