Radovish/Skopje, 6 November 2023 (MIA) — VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickoski in Radovish called on "Macedonian citizens not to fall for DUI leader Ali Ahmeti's nationalist provocations" after Ahmeti in the village of Sopot this weekend opened a Museum of the UÇK, showcasing a map of Greater Albania as well as photos of him and commanders in UÇK uniforms and insignia.

"Citizens should beware in the coming period, because DUI, whenever they are caught stealing or robbing, they immediately turn to nationalism and chauvinism," Mickoski said.

"The bigger the nationalist provocations the more you should be aware that once again some tender bid is decided in private and Macedonian citizens are being robbed again," the largest opposition party head said.

Meanwhile, asked to comment on VMRO-DPMNE's recent comments that DUI would not be part of the government after the elections, Foreign Minister and DUI member Bujar Osmani said that it was "not the first time that DUI has been asked to go into opposition."

"This way of creating interethnic hatred to score political points is too risky for a multiethnic state such as ours. I can tell VMRO that as long as there is DUI and as long as Ali Ahmeti is there, Albanians will not have a hair on their head missing. All their threats are worthless," Osmani said.

In response to a reporter's question why he was speaking of interethnic tensions when only DUI had been mentioned and not Albanians in general, Osmani said it was DUI that represented the majority of the Albanians.

"Mentioning DUI is mentioning the majority will of the Albanians. DUI represents the Albanians. They did not fall from the sky. People chose them to represent the Albanians. The majority of the Albanians is with DUI. Any attempt to create interethnic hatred so they can then play the emotion card with the Macedonians, I think is highly risky for the state," Osmani said. mr/