SDSM party leader is ordering pre-election billboards that drop the imposed name “North Macedonia”.  In one such billboard, Zaev had himself superimposed over the NATO logo to tout what he promises will be the economic benefits of the coming NATO membership. But instead of mentioning the country that is about to join NATO, Zaev used a the #MKinNATO hashtag. MK stands for Macedonia and the sign omits the use of the hated “name name” Zaev imposed on the country, even in a shorthand version RNM or RSM in Macedonian.

The SDSM party demanded the head of VMRO nominated Labour and Welfare Minister Rasela Mizrahi, accusing her of violating the Prespa treaty with Greece when she held a press conference using the name Republic of Macedonia.

But as the elections draw closer, and as SDSM faces a growing gap in the polls, especially among ethnic Macedonians, they themselves drop the hated adjective “North”, hoping it will improve their chances in the elections.