Zoran Zaev is losing supporters and coalition partners, VMRO-DPMNE said in a statement after two of the smaller coalition partners of SDSM announced an independent run for in the mayoral race in Skopje.

LDP and DOM nominated a Zaev supporter, singer Beni Shaqiri, as their candidate for Mayor of Skopje. The two parties are part of Zaev’s coalition that props up his Government, but did not extend this coalition for the local elections.

There are also independent runs from BESA, and from former SDSM candidates Maksim Dimitrievski in Kumanovo and Zoran Nogacevski in Debrca. The SDSM party membership is openly saying that there is no democracy in their party, and that the only interests that matter are those of the mafia and the business clans, VMRO-DPMNE said in its statement.