Opposition DUI leader discusses Turkish ties and local elections with MP representing ethnic Turks
Ali Ahmeti, leader of the opposition Democratic Union for Integration (DUI), met Monday with Salih Murat, a member of parliament representing the Turkish community in North Macedonia, following Murat’s recent visit to Ankara, where he held talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
DUI, which represents the ethnic Albanian population — roughly a quarter of North Macedonia’s 2 million people — is the largest ethnic Albanian party and currently part of the opposition bloc in parliament, after over a decade in government.
The meeting between Ahmeti and Murat, who is affiliated with the European Front coalition, focused on legislative coordination, upcoming initiatives in parliament, and preparations for local elections. According to a statement from Ahmeti, they also discussed Murat’s impressions from his recent diplomatic meetings in Turkey.
“I had a meaningful and productive meeting with European Front MP Salih Murat,” Ahmeti wrote on social media. “We discussed parliamentary work, future legislative steps, and his recent official visit to Turkey.”
During his trip to Ankara, Murat met senior Turkish officials, including Erdoğan and Efkan Ala, a former deputy prime minister. Murat said the talks were constructive, covering the situation of the Turkish community in the Balkans, regional cooperation, and Turkey’s role in the region.
Murat described Erdoğan as “a friend and brother of the Republic of Turkey,” adding that the Turkish president had sent warm greetings to the people of North Macedonia, particularly to its Turkish minority. He also renewed an invitation for Erdoğan to pay an official visit to the country.
“The visit was dedicated to the friendship between Macedonia and Turkey, as well as to our compatriots,” Murat wrote on Facebook, expressing gratitude for what he described as Turkey’s strong interest and engagement.
Ahmeti and Murat also discussed strategy for the upcoming municipal elections, including potential mayoral and council candidates from the European Front — a political alliance that includes DUI and other parties representing ethnic minorities.