The Democratic Union for Integration called on Stevo Pendarovski re-examine his decision to appoint Erol Musliu as the new head of the Intelligence Agency. Musliu is the first ethnic Albanian to head the foreign intelligence gathering agency which operates under the President, but DUI expected to see a candidate closer to its party appointed in the office.

We are all disturbed by President Pendarovski’s decision and it drew a cloud over the passing of intelligence agency reforms in Parliament yesterday. Our sources say that the decision was not malevolent but was based on lack of information, said Deputy Prime Minister Bujar Osmani from DUI.

Osmani publicly blamed Musliu because he worked in the Agency under previous directors appointed by President Gjorge Ivanov. Osmani also blamed him of involvement in the 2015 Albanian terrorist attack on Kumanovo.

Musliu is seen as close to SDSM deputy leader Muhamed Zekiri, the one high level ethnic Albanian in SDSM, who is openly pushing to undercut DUI support among Albanian voters and increase SDSM clout among them. Musliu has reportedly helped Zekiri in his political attacks against DUI.

DUI endorsed Pendarovski, who only won the elections owing to the near unanimous support he received among ethnic Albanians. But now several Albanian parties and the SDSM Albanian faction led by Zekiri are fighting for influence over the President.