site.btaFour Albanian Opposition Parties to Enter Jointly North Macedonia's Elections

A declaration of joint participation in the presidential and parliamentary elections in North Macedonia was signed by the parties from the Albanian opposition bloc - Democratic Movement, Besa Movement and Alternativa, united in the European Union for Change (EUC), and Arben Taravari's Alliance for the Albanians.

Democratic Movement Chair Izet Mejiti told media that by signing this declaration on the day of independence of Kosovo, they are laying the foundations of a new era for the Albanian parties in the Republic of North Macedonia. This declaration is a common platform of all public entities that appreciate that the time has come for a great political change in the country. 

The four-party candidate for the presidential election will be Arben Taravari, who announced his candidacy on Thursday, while his Alliance for Albanians party is virtually split over his decision to join the Albanian opposition bloc in North Macedonia.

Taravari noted that the cooperation between the Albanian opposition parties in North Macedonia was formalized for the first time after 2011, when Albanians, as a whole, voted for changes, but the opposition parties failed to find a common language for cooperation. He expressed satisfaction that they signed a declaration of cooperation and expressed hope that on May 8 (the first round of the presidential elections) the long-awaited change in the Albanian political bloc will take place.

Dynamic developments in the ethnic Albanian political bloc have led to the emergence of new opposition parties, such as Izet Medjiti's Democratic Movement, which split from the largest ethnic Albanian party, the Democratic Union for Integration, in mid-2023. Splitting processes are also underway in the Alliance for Albanians, where Taravari's wing and that of the party's former chairman Ziadin Sela are in divided regarding the party's positioning in the upcoming elections. Taravari found support in part of the Alliance to join the Albanian opposition bloc, while Sela kept the party running independently in the elections.

On Friday evening, the Taravari wing held a congress in which, through changes in the party's constitution, it effectively removed the party's Central Assembly Chair Ziadin Sela from his current position,  closing this function. At a congress that Sela's wing will hold on Sunday, Taravari is expected to be relieved of his current position as chair of the Alliance for Albanians. Both wings claim that they represent the party.

The presidential elections in North Macedonia will be held on April 24 and May 8, when the parliamentary elections will take place together with the second round of voting.