In a press release issued on Thursday, the Macedonian Television (MTV) announced a deviation from the originally planned debate format for tonight’s program. Instead of a head-to-head debate between the two presidential contenders, only an interview with presidential candidate Gordana Siljanovska Davkova will be aired. This decision comes as her opponent, Stevo Pendarovski, did not attend the scheduled debate on the public broadcasting service.

MTV had extended invitations for a presidential debate on April 26, 2024, to the offices of the two candidates who advanced to the second round of the elections: Stevo Pendarovski and Gordana Siljanovska Davkova. The proposed dates for the debate were May 1 (Wednesday), May 2 (Thursday), and May 6 (Monday).

The press release indicates that MTV provided flexibility in scheduling the debate, offering options for either recording during the day or airing live in the evening, with the final date to be agreed upon in consultation with both candidates’ offices.

“Gordana Siljanovska Davkova’s team promptly accepted the proposed date of May 2 for the debate, with the possibility of prerecording in the afternoon,” the press release states. “However, there was no response from Pendarovski’s team until May 1. Upon inquiry, Pendarovski’s team cited scheduling conflicts and expressed their inability to participate.”

In a gesture of professionalism, the public broadcasting service also proposed separate interviews for the candidates. Despite this offer and additional flexibility in scheduling, Pendarovski’s team declined to participate, stating a lack of availability, despite MTV’s efforts to accommodate them within the timeframe leading up to the election silence.

“Thus, the Macedonian Television refutes claims from Pendarovski’s Office suggesting that Gordana Siljanovska Davkova independently arranged a debate on MTV,” the press release concludes.