Mitko Jancev, the Mayor of Kavadarci who is trying to create a faction within the VMRO-DPMNE party, said that “he is taking the party over” in an interview with Fokus. This is not the first time Jancev has announced such moves, and he has promoted a faction that includes former minister Nikola Todorov. The Mayor, who runs a bottling company in Kavadarci, is also reportedly close to the Zaev family, especially Vice Zaev, and this has fed the allegations that like other, this attempt at creating factions in the aftermath of the inconclusive and chaotic July 15 elections, is also being inspired by SDSM.

It’s curious to see how Jancev uses a term from the corporate world – “takeover”. Unlike in the business world, parties work differently and a takeover could not be further from democracy. VMRO-DPMNE is not a business and the legitimacy comes from its members, said party official Timco Mucunski, in a response to Jancev.