The Alliance of Albanians and Alternative parties accused the Zaev Government of paving the way for partnership with Serbia, and against Macedonia’s national interest. According to the two opposition ethnic Albanian parties, Serbia is buying influence in Macedonia on the cheap, with the delivery of nearly 5,000 doses of Pfizer vaccines it made today, as Zaev was unable to procure vaccines from the west.

The arrival of Serbian President Vucic at the Tabanovce border crossing and the accompanying media storm sent a message that “the big brother won’t leave us alone”. It is to be expected from Zaev’s party as the heir of the Yugoslav idea, but it was strange to see that the welcoming ceremony was arranged by Deputy Prime Minister Artan Grubi, the two parties said, accusing Zaev’s Albanian coalition partner DUI and its representative Grubi of accepting the rapprochement with Serbia.

The two parties say that it is understandable that Serbia and Vucic want to be patrons of smaller Balkan countries, but that the problems is in the Zaev Government and its inability to effectuate its ties with the West into specific healthcare arrangements, not to mention its lack of EU integration.