VMRO-DPMNE spokesman Dimitar Arsovski said that the State Electoral Commission has an obligation to dispel all public doubts and concerns over the chaotic conduct of the elections and especially their aftermath and the vote counting process. The opposition party, which came out virtually tied with the ruling SDSM party, demands a manual recount of all votes.

We can’t let a dark stain remain on the elections. This must include a manual recount because we have 30.000 invalid ballots, which is not something we have with such levels of turnout. Remember that officials of the ruling SDSM party were publicly calling on the voters who support the opposition to spoil their ballots which by itself is a crime. We need to protect the will of the people and to remove this stain on the elections, Arsovski said.

Arsovski also pointed to the objections by the OSCE/ODIHR observer mission, which protested the last minute, unilateral changes to the electoral code by the SDSM party for creating a sense of uncertainty, as well as the systemic defects in the system which favored the ruling SDSM party.

The people don’t support SDSM and that is why the ruling party decided to engage in massive fraud and bribing of voters. VMRO-DPMNE remains the strongest political party and the people sent out a clear message for change and Renewal, Arsovski said.

VMRO-DPMNE is projected to take 44 seats, while SDSM has 46, but in coalition with the Erdoganist BESA party, which takes four seats. Both parties also rely on smaller coalition partners, who will take seats in Parliament, and SDSM’s is more reliant on these partners who may eventually go their own way, than VMRO.