The Alliance of Albanians nominated Idri Istrefi, former head of the Council of the municipality of Velesta for Mayor of Struga. Istrefi will face off with the DUI candidate Ramiz Merko in one of the most anticipated competitions between the parties representing ethnic Albanians at the coming local elections.

The Alliance of Albanians, allied with the Alternative party, counts Struga as one of the regions where it draws the most support, and party leader Ziadin Sela is adamant about beating DUI here. Ethnic Macedonian voters in Struga will be key to the race, as will arrangements that the Macedonian parties SDSM and VMRO-DPMNE make with DUI and AA. Both Albanian parties promise to support the VMRO and SDSM candidates elsewhere in Skopje, Butel and Kumanovo, in exchange for support from the Macedonian voters in Struga, Tetovo, Gostivar…