The group of 60 opposition members of Parliament left the building and abandoned their attempt to hold a vote of no confidence in the Zaev Government. Through VMRO-DPMNE Vice President Aleksandar Nikoloski they issued a call for early elections and a demand that member of Parliament Kastriot Rexhepi, who went missing overnight, is now released by his captors.

Rexhepi from the BESA party was the crucial 61st vote that was needed to bring down the Government. He signed on to the petition and insisted that he will vote in favor of the motion, but then went missing. After hours of deep concern about his safety, first a Facebook post allegedly written by him was issued, and then a video statement in which Rexhepi seemed to read from a pre-prepared text to say that he has decided not to vote to bring down the Zaev Government.

Democracy was trampled today. A member of Parliament was kidnapped. Those who did this will be held accountable. We are now leaving the Parliament and I call on them to release him now, Nikoloski said.

With the Parliament now deadlocked on this and other issues, such as the important 2022 budget vote that is coming up, Nikoloski said that the only way forward is to hold snap elections.

This is the message from the entire coalition, that the fastest and simplest solution from this crisis is to hold early elections in the shortest time possible, Nikoloski said.

When asked whether it is now up to President Pendarovski to convene the party leaders, Nikoloski said that the opposition will engage in any proposal that leads to early elections. “Pendarovski was out yesterday making ridiculous statements how European leaders are losing sleep over whether Zaev will remain Prime Minister. And today, he went missing and did not make a single statement about what is happening in the Parliament. His term is also over”, Nikoloski said.