Skopje, 8 May 2024 (MIA) – President Stevo Pendarovski, who is running for re-election in Wednesday’s runoff of the 2024 presidential polls, cast his vote in Skopje’s Gazi Baba municipality.

“The vote, at least so far, is taking place in peaceful atmosphere. I hope election day will end as it began, befitting a country that is democratic for almost 3,5 decades. There’s information that there have been attempts for an organized boycott with rejections of the second ballot for president in some electoral districts. If it was true, I’d like to condemn it in advance because it isn’t democratic to restrict the right to vote of the people. Those who have come to the ballots to vote should decide on their own whether they will vote in both elections or only in one,” Pendarovski told reporters after voting noting the information is unconfirmed. 

Asked whether he is optimistic given the results of the first round of the elections, he said he’s always been optimistic. 

“I’ve remained optimistic following the results from the first round because I knew that the candidates that dropped out, which is some 330,000 votes, are somewhat close to my political concept. But, the information I mentioned, if it is really happening, it would harm my potential voters,” Pendarovski said. 

Speaking to members of the media, the incumbent president said he estimates that turnout will be 40% in the runoff, which is according to the Constitution. 

“Even if there might be organized obstructions of the election process, I believe the turnout could be 40% by the end of the day,” he stated. 

Asked whether he expects relations with the neighboring EU members and with Bulgaria to deteriorate, Pendarovski said he cannot predict it.

“We should see how the new parliament and the new government will start treating the issue. But, considering the positions we supported in the past almost five years regarding the Macedonian-Bulgarian relations, you very well know that my political opponents have more rigid nationalist positions compared to mine on the matter,” stated Pendarovski. 

Photo: MIA