Zoran Zaev’s claim that Albanian language signs were placed across Macedonia “by mistake” drew the ire of Deputy Prime Minister Bujar Osmani. According to Osmani, such signs need to be placed in all Government buildings across the country, and not just in municipalities that have more than 20 percent Albanians living there.

During his debate with VMRO leader Hristijan Mickoski, Zaev claimed that the signs were a mistake and will be removed. “The sign put in Kocani was removed, so were other signs, and the honest application of the law provides for the practical needs fo the citizens, let’s not force or impose one community on the other”, Zaev said. But Osmani, who did publicity stunts after Zaev accepted a new law on the use of the Albanian language, and was calling out Government officials for not speaking Albanian, says that won’t happen.

The law is clear and it is not up to us, politicians, to explain it, but to the inspectors who will implement it, Osmani said.

One of the signs that should now be removed was placed in Zaev’s power-base of Strumica, which has almost no Albanians living there.

Meanwhile, Zaev’s loyalist and successor as Prime Minister Oliver Spasovski defied Osmani and said supported Zaev in his position that the signs need to go.

The law needs to be upheld as it was adopted, Spasovski said.