Mayor of Cair Municipality in Skopje Visar Ganiu reported on Friday evening that he had been threatened over the phone by a representative of the Democratic Union for Integration.
Ganiu filed a case with the police, stating that the assailant identified himself as Muharrem Hasani and made the following statement: “You and Izet Mexhiti will find yourselves in trouble on the streets” followed by severe insults and verbal abuse.
Ganiu, who is serving his third term as the mayor of Cair, a municipality with a majority Albanian population within the capital city, stated that the threats came after his remarks in the media regarding the “elections of branch presidents within the Democratic Union for Integration conflicting with the party’s statute”.
Visar Ganiu is part of the well-known faction within the DUI called the “fire group”, which includes former party vice-president and lawmaker Izet Mexhiti, two other deputies, the current mayor of Saraj Municipality in Skopje Blerim Bexheti, and former high-ranking officials of the DUI.
Currently, the largest ruling party, DUI is undergoing an internal reorganization campaign, particularly concerning the election of its branch and sub-branch presidents.
Muharrem Hasani is a candidate for the branch presidency in Butel, Skopje. He is also the Deputy Director of the North Macedonia Customs Agency. Hasani dismissed the accusations made by Ganiu on social media, labeling them as slander and falsehoods.
“I express regret for any attempt to tarnish the democratic election processes within DUI by those distanced from the family that gave birth to them, raised them, and brought them to where they are today,” wrote Hasani.
The clashes within DUI began due to dissatisfaction and reactions from the officials now known as the “fire group” towards the DUI ministers in the government, particularly towards Deputy Prime Minister Artan Grubi, whom faction members claim operates within the executive power without consulting the party leadership.
Meanwhile, DUI believes that factions within its structure are not allowed according to the party’s statute and considers it a way to remove this group from party positions.
Analysts suggest that the “fire group” may form its own party or potentially form a coalition with the Albanian opposition in North Macedonia in the next elections.
