The SDSM – DUI presidential candidate Stevo Pendarovski opened his campaign in Krusevo, where he told his supporters that this is the first time a candidate is supported by major ethnic groups. Pendarovski received the support of the ethnic Albanian DUI party which would normally field its own presidential candidates.

Our option is one of going forward and they want to go back. There is no better option than joining the European Union, Pendarovski said, speaking about the candidate of the opposition VMRO-DPMNE party Gordana Siljanovska – Davkova.

Zoran Zaev also used the prospects of EU membership as the main selling point for Pendarovski. Zaev also called for a mass turnout, amid concerns that the abuse of the judiciary and the political system, and the way in which Zaev forced the name change of the country could spark a boycott of the elections which require a turnout of at least 40 percent to be considered valid.