VMRO-DPMNE urged citizens to support presidential candidate Gordana Siljanovska – Davkova by signing up for her nomination at the local electoral commission office.

Given the high level of popular support the party enjoys, it’s expected that far more than the needed 10,000 signatures will be collected in the first day. VMRO has the option to nominate Siljanovska with 30 votes in Parliament, but always uses the popular option as well. Polls show that VMRO enjoys wide support over SDSM, who are expected to nominate incumbent Stevo Pendarovski for a third time in a row, and will also begin collecting signatures today.

Previously, candidates who don’t have 30 votes in Parliament completed the process in couple of days. DUI candidate Bujar Osmani, Kumanovo Mayor Maksim Dimitrievski and Arben Taravari from the united Albanian opposition bloc completed the task relatively easily. Levica candidate Biljana Vankovska struggled to get to 10,000 signatures, as did Karpos Mayor Stevco Jakimovski, but they also managed to accomplish the task in about week. Citizens are allowed to support several candidates, so it’s possible that the larger parties help the smaller candidates out where they think it will be politically benefitial to them.