Commenting on the notable absence of Zoran Zaev from Stevo Pendarovski’s inauguration, the opposition VMRO-DPMNE party said that it is up to Pendarovski to speak up about Zaev’s history of corruption and authoritarianism.

Zoran Zaev didn’t have to be physically present at the inauguration because everything Pendarovski says might as well come from Zaev’s mouth. Zaev hand-picked an obedient character to install as President through electoral engineering and pre-arranged delivery of votes. Pendarovski hasn’t spoken a word about the crimes, corruption and nepotism displayed by the Government. He remained silent while his political mentor Zoran Zaev was being amnestied for his crimes. He never spoke out about the lack of reforms which will likely cost Macedonia the opening of EU accession talks. He was ashamed of the Macedonian national anthem, refused to say which language is spoken by Macedonians in Greece and compared his own people to cattle, VMRO-DPMNE said in ia press release.

During his inauguration, Pendarovski said he wants to reach out to the opposition, but then refused to invite VMRO leader Hristijan Mickoski to the event.