After congratulating Dimitar Kovacevski in person, Zoran Zaev also sent out a Facebook message to praise the new leader of his SDSM party. Zaev left SDSM after his major defeat in the local elections in October, and helped install the little known Deputy Finance Minister as party leader, and now is also trying to elevate him to Prime Minister.

I wish success to Dimitar Kovacevski. I congratulate him and to all the SDSM party members who voted in our intra-party elections, showing a high level of democratic dedication. SDSM voted for a stable Macedonian future. I expect dedication, openness and progressive political behavior in the interest of all citizens of Macedonia and of the social-democratic family, Zaev said in his message to Kovacevski.