After Deputy Prime Minister Bujar Osmani warned Zoran Zaev not to use words like “broom” or “sweep” when talking about the coming reconstruction of the Government, now Justice Minister Renata Deskoska also fired a shot across his bow, telling Zaev that she is not going to be rotated at his will.

Media reports announced that Deskoska could be going back to the Education Ministry, to make room for a DUI official to take over Justice from her. She responded that she is not Nikola Todorov, a former VMRO-DPMNE official who frequently rotated between departments, and if she leaves office she will go back to her chair at the Law Faculty.

I go forward, not back. The only place where I may return after my stint in politics is the Law Faculty, not the Education Ministry, Deskoska told the press.

Zaev made a populist announcement of sweeps and purges after the dramatic drop in support for his coalition evident in the first round of the presidential elections. He still managed to rally his supporters and beat the VMRO-DPMNE presidential candidate, but this required asking for the support of the opposition Albanian parties and near 100 percent support from ethnic Albanian voters, which is bound to cost him down the road.

Meanwhile, the promise was made and Zaev warmed to the theme, telling SDSM and DUI officials that they face being replaced soon, but also issued threats to public sector employees he suspects of supporting the opposition.

Deskoska comes from the Skopje wing of SDSM, along with Minister Damjan Mancevski who already said that he is ready to leave or accept a new position if asked. This wing is often competing against Zaev’s much more rural faction in the party.