Strumica has been ran by one man for 18 years and it’s time for change, said VMRO-DPMNE Vice President Aleksandar Nikoloski, who is leading the VMRO-DPMNE list in the 4th electoral district and is directly opposed to Zaev who leads the SDSM – BESA list.

The change must begin here, from Strumica. There was a continuous, 18 years long rule by one man, by one family here. It is time for a change. We have a devastated judicial system after three years under SDSM and five years in total under a political crisis. We pledge to create a functional system of the rule of law and to bring the criminals to account, Nikoloski said.

The Zaev family has grown into a major business presence in the region, and he has avoided two well documented corruption charges as Mayor of Strumica, using the resources of the rich agricultural region to launch his push to take over the SDSM party. Nikoloski said that Strumica has little to show for after Zaev’s reign and promised to quickly link it through an expressway to Radovis, Stip and beyond to Skopje. Another major infrastructure project that was began under the previous VMRO led Government is linking Prilep and then Bitola to the A1 highway.