Stevo Pendarovski claims victory in Macedonian presidential elections

The ruling parties candidate Stevo Pendarovski had won 421,487 votes,(51.86 per cent) and his rival Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, backed by the main opposition VMRO DPMNE party,361,984 votes (44.54 per cent), according The State Election Commission results based on 99.5% counted votes ‘I will unite , not divide. The victory of this concept brings a future for the republic of North Macedonia and it’s our ticket to Europe,” Pendarovski told reporters after the election results were announced. Opposition party VMRO-DPMNE accused the government of “engineering election,” adding it had information of the ruling coalition bribing voters and threatening them, among other things.

Stevo Pendarovski (C), the candidate of the ruling Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) celebrates with supporters after declaring election victory Source: AAP Image/ EPA/GEORGI LICOVSKI