The result in Brvenica puts coalition partners at odds

The results of the local elections in Brvenica, where DUI candidate Arkin Jahiji emerged victorious, prompted opposing reactions from VMRO-DPMNE and VLEN, two parties in the governing coalition.

VMRO-DPMNE accused VLEN of helping DUI win and of failing to distance itself from ethnic nationalism. VLEN, meanwhile, said the election process showed that much work remains in the country to create a genuine civic model.

VMRO-DPMNE said it entered the race with a program and concrete projects for developing the municipality, while its opponents shifted the focus away from ideas and platforms and toward ethnic divisions.

“A Brvenica for everyone” was, according to the party, a message intended to promote coexistence, unity and mutual respect, alongside investment in infrastructure and better living conditions. However, VMRO-DPMNE claimed that its opponents exploited the municipality’s demographic makeup to call for voting along ethnic lines.

The party also said that DUI, SDSM, the Left and VLEN joined forces against it, turning the race into a “ring of divisions” rather than a contest between programs and ideas.

“It is particularly regrettable that our coalition partner, VLEN, did not seize the opportunity to show that it differs from DUI and can rise above ethnic nationalism. This proved that, like the candidates from SDSM and the Left, it was a Trojan horse in DUI’s favor,” VMRO-DPMNE said in its response.

VLEN, meanwhile, described the election process in Brvenica as free and democratic, noting that there were no incidents or violations of electoral rules. It said the votes belong to the citizens and cannot be controlled or considered the property of any political force.

“In a democratic system, the will of the citizens must take precedence over every other interest. At the local level, it must also prevail over party lines, since citizens are the ones who freely decide whom to trust,” VLEN said.

The party also criticized the conduct of the campaign, saying that calls for ethnic voting, made together with SDSM and the Left, do not help build a civic society.

“A civic model cannot be built on calls for ethnic voting alongside SDSM and the Left. Where the Left is, there are no Albanians. In societies with diverse ethnic populations, every action provokes a reaction. Such an approach can fuel a cycle of polarizing rhetoric and incitement, deepening ethnic divisions. Instead of moving forward, this leads to regression,” VLEN said.

In the second round of elections in Brvenica, AKI candidate Arkin Jahiji received 4,442 votes, while VMRO-DPMNE candidate Stojancho Radichevski secured 4,177 votes.