Fatmir Limani, a relative to DUI party leader Ali Ahmeti and former top official of the party who recently broke ranks, accused Ahmeti of trying to incorporate DUI within the ruling SDSM party. In a TV interview, Limani said that he will challenge DUI for the seat of Mayor of Kicevo, which is Ahmeti’s main power base.

I can’t speak with certainty that Ahmeti is working to achieve the goal of joining SDSM, but all his policies in the past few months point to that direction. And I’m revolted. Many DUI officials are angry at this merger. Musa Xhaferi, Izet Mexhiti, Sadula Duraku, Blerim Bexheti.., Limani said, listing former and current top party officials who, he said, do not accept Ahmeti’s current level of coziness with SDSM leader Zaev.

This group protested the appointment of several key DUI officials in the Government, mainly the choice of Artan Grubi to take the powerful position of First Deputy Prime Minister, and that of Bujar Osmani as Foreign Minister. Ahmeti counts the Albanian areas in and around Kicevo as his main base of support, but with the municipal elections coming in October, he could face a difficult race there.