Even though the Alternative party insisted that their main purpose of entering the Zaev Government is to secure the opening of EU accession talks, it seems intent to stick with its decision despite the veto Macedonia received at the European Council yesterday.

The party seems prepared to justify its continued support to the survival of the Zaev Government with the possibility that Macedonia will open accession talks in the summer – which was raised by the newly appointed Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov. One of its members of Parliament, Skender Rexhepi, said that if the EU process fails, the party may have to reconsider its support for the SDSM regime. But the party also stands to gain tremendously, with Zaev offering them three Government departments, including the major Healthcare Ministry. The lucrative potential of these posts seems to be enough for the party to set aside the latest major foreign policy failure.