After being called out by Zoran Zaev who blamed them for his enormous defeat in the first round of the local elections, the LDP and DOM parties announced that they will continue to support his Government but will not support mayoral candidates in the second round of the elections.

Before the campaign began we said that the votes we will win are votes of the citizens. We do not own those votes and I believe that the citizens are wise and will support the mayoral candidate who they believe will lead their city of municipality in the proper direction for the next four years, said DOM party leader Maja Moracanin.

The LDP – DOM list that, even though they are part of Zaev’s coalition campaigned under the slogan “Determined for change”, won about 25,000 votes. Zaev particularly blamed them for losing the mayoral race in Bitola in the first round to the VMRO candidate – LDP leader Goran Mileski won about 3,000 votes in Bitola.

Zaev strongly insisted that LDP and DOM continue to support the Government – which they could bring down if they withdraw their three votes – and that their voters will support SDSM in the second round in Bitola, Skopje and elsewhere. After the lashing he received in the first round, Zaev faces possible rifts in SDSM, as well as with coalition partners such as BESA, LDP and DOM and even DUI – all of whom can easily topple his Government.