LSDSM win-win local elections, Albanian parties in runoff

Prime Minister Zoran Zaev's LSDM, according to the first unofficial KSHZ data, is winning Sunday's local elections.

This party has announced victory in 40 out of a total of 80 Macedonian municipalities, while nearly all others will go to the runoff in the second election circle.

The LSDM, based on processed data, has won the country's largest municipalities -- almost most of the ten municipalities in Skopje -- as well as other cities in Manastir, Prilep, Ohrid, Strumica, Stip and others.

The election victory was declared by Zoran Zaev, the head of the LSDM, and at once the country's prime minister.

“The people in this election delivered the message, that they backed the policies of the new government, gave support to our policy for a whole society, gave support to growth and economic development”, Zaev declared.

The LSDM has won the entire Albanian population in Harachina municipality.

Meanwhile, V The MRO DPMNE's former Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski's appearance at about midnight has voiced criticism of the election's prosperity by denouncing numerous irregularities, according to him.

Gruevski said all irregularities would inform competent bodies, but also did not rule out the possibility of taking responsibility for losses in the election.

“About the election outcome will discuss the highest party organs, and however, that I will not escape responsibility for the outcome reached”, Gruevski has declared, without correcting whether to resign.

In Albanian parties, the elections have ended only in two municipalities -- in Krchevo, where the DUI candidate has won -- but supported by other Albanian parties, as well as in another smaller rural municipality -- in Plasnica.

In 12 other municipalities inhabited mainly with Albanian populations such as Tetovo, Gostivar, Struga, Ciir, and other municipalities, there will be run-offs with DUI candidates, as well as the Belgrade and Alliance for Albanians.

The Democratic Union for Integration evidently leads to the republic level. I think this will be the 11th mandate of DUI's” victories, DUI chairman Ali Ahmeti has declared. DUI claims to be the winner of the election by about 100,000 votes.

The Besa Movement, meanwhile, in its first election assessment has spoken of numerous irregularities during the election process, which has announced it has deposited them in the bodies responsible for further proceedings.

But, even this opposition party has said it is the winner of the elections, as according to her, it has won coalition-free votes with Macedonian parties, such as DUI was with the LSDM in some municipalities.

Taking into account that DUI was in coalition with LSDM, that is, the EUSA is the first Albanian party in Macedonia. Of the votes counted so far we have double growth and this makes us the first Albanian party”, Bilall Kasami, chairman of the Besa Movement, has declared.

By the Alliance for Albanians, too, they have said their outcome has doubled, while announcing the victory of its candidates in Struga and Gostivar, who in the second circle take advantage of DUI and LSDM candidates.

This party in the runoff goes to several more municipalities with DUI. Ilmi Ashir of this party's election staff said in Sunday's elections Sunday's Alliance for Albanians has doubled its votes, becoming the second political force in Albanians.

These elections served to confirm the Alliance for Albanians as the main national and progressive force of the future, while Zijadin Sela was confirmed as the non-negotiable leader of Albanians in Macedonia”, Aziri has declared.

Sunday's polling has been slightly over 50 percent - the exit has been lower, even to 40 percent, in areas inhabited by Albanians.