During his events in Struga and Ohrid today, Zoran Zaev announced that he will support the incumbent Mayor of Kicevo Fatmir Dehari, against the VMRO-DPMNE candidate doctor Aleksandar Jovanovski.

Dehari, a former UCK terrorist commander, has been seen as a controversial choice to lead the ethnically mixed city, but was able to win the position twice due to the overwhelming support the DUI party has among the local Albanians. But this time, DUI faces an internal challenger, and the Albanian opposition parties are expected to support Jovanovski in the second round – going across ethnic lines.


Still, given how desperate Zaev is for the DUI votes in Skopje, a race on which he staked his political survival, he announced that he will also cross the ethnic divide and support Dehari.

DUI leader Ali Ahmeti toady also held a rally, near Gostivar, where he urged all Albanians to support Dehari against Jovanovski. “Do not let VMRO win in Kicevo”, Ahmeti pleaded.