Outgoing Prime Minister Oliver Spasovski said that his SDSM party is determined to cancel the “100 days rule” under which the opposition got to govern several departments ahead of a general election and with that reduce the abuse of the public administration in election purposes.

The agreement was put in place precisely on request from SDSM when the party was in opposition, and under heavy international pressure. But now, SDSM demands that it will not apply for the next elections, despite widespread evidence of abuse during the chaotic July 15 elections which SDSM won by the narrowest possible margin. Other parties, most importantly the conservative VMRO-DPMNE, have refused this idea, but SDSM seems determined to go ahead with the unilateral move, and instead of giving way to the opposition – to appoint an ethnic Albanian Prime Minister for the last 100 days of the mandate. This will allow SDSM’s key DUI coalition partner to technically meet its pre-election promise.

Spasovski today held a press conference which he said will be his last before the expected election of a new Government proposed by SDSM leader Zoran Zaev on Saturday.