Local Elections 2026

Skopje, 29 January 2026 – In accordance with the obligation set out in Article 76-e, Paragraph 8, of the Electoral Code, the Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services submitted to the State Election Commission the Report on Paid Political Advertising during the Election Campaign for the Rerun Mayoral Elections in the Municipality of Gostivar, the Municipality of Vrapchishte, the Municipality of Mavrovo and Rostusha, and the Municipality of Centar Zhupa, covering the period from 22 December 2025 to 9 January 2026. The data contained in the Report were obtained through monitoring of paid political advertising aired by broadcasters and were additionally verified through the procedure of verifying broadcasters’ reports on services rendered.

Out of 18 broadcasters (13 television stations and 5 radio stations) registered in the State Election Commission’s Register for Broadcasting Paid Political Advertising for the Rerun Local Elections 2026, a total of 9 broadcasters—7 television stations and 2 radio stations—concluded contracts with campaign participants for the broadcast of paid political advertising. Across all 7 television stations, a total of 20 hours, 1 minute and 45 seconds of paid political advertising were broadcast, while across the two radio stations a total of 4 hours, 18 minutes and 29 seconds were broadcast. In total, 24 hours, 20 minutes and 14 seconds of paid political advertising were broadcast across all radio and television broadcasters.

The largest volume of advertising time was broadcast by the local television stations TV G-TV (6 hours, 49 minutes and 21 seconds) and TV Due (5 hours, 57 minutes and 42 seconds). Of the two local radio stations that concluded contracts for broadcasting paid political advertising, Radio Kometa 2000 (Radio GJI) broadcast 2 hours, 24 minutes and 24 seconds, while Radio 7 broadcast 1 hour, 54 minutes and 5 seconds of paid political advertising. Across all broadcasters, the largest amount of airtime was purchased by the National Alliance for Integration Coalition – NAI (16 hours, 44 minutes and 18 seconds), followed by the VLEN Coalition (7 hours, 9 minutes and 36 seconds). The coalition led by SDSM purchased airtime only on Kanal 5 TV (26 minutes and 20 seconds). The coalition led by VMRO-DPMNE, the Democratic Party of Turks in Macedonia, and the independent candidate Zulhairat Demiri decided not to purchase any airtime for broadcasting paid political advertising on broadcasters’ programmes during this election campaign.

The Report on paid political advertising aired by broadcasters for the Rerun Local Elections 2026 is available at this link.