VMRO-DPMNE President Hristijan Mickoski was undaunted today, even after the leader of the Levica party Dimitar Apasiev refused to join VMRO in a coalition for the local elections in October.

We must not lose hope, we are close to the end of these torturous times and better days are coming. Great changes will come after the local elections, Mickoski said.

The conservative party is also pursuing a coalition agreement with the opposition Albanian parties, that would stand against the already announced SDSM – DUI coalition. As SDSM has only a slim majority in Parliament, a defeat in the local elections could lead to early general elections.