The State Election Commission informed that based on data received and processed from 92.48 percent of a total of 3,480 polling stations, 41.23 percent, or 693,091, of all eligible voters in the Republic of Macedonia went to the polls by 17.40 hrs. In comparison, by 17.00 hrs in the presidential elections in 2009, the turnout was 48.73 percent.

The highest turnout by 17.00 was registered in Novaci (69.23 percent), Negotino (64.05 percent), Lozovo (62.08 percent), Gevgelija (60.18), Prilep (58.82 percent), Stip (58.20 percent), Kavadarci (57.69 percent), Aerodrom (54.32 percent) and Bitola (54.21 percent), while the lowest turnout was registered in Plasnica (10.45 percent), Saraj (9.15 percent), Bogovinje (8.29 percent), Lipkovo (8.09 percent) and Zelino (7.60 percent).

According to the Interior Ministry, which secures the election process with 7,000 police officers, there were no major disruptions that affected the election process. In a statement made one hour before the closing of polling stations, Interior Ministry Spokesperson Kotevski said that since Macedonia’s independence, the Interior Ministry received the fewest reports of voting process violations.

Kotevski said the incident in Suto Orizari in which two former MPs were involved did not interrupt the vote and that more information would be provided in an official statement later. Another minor incident was registered in the Strumica village of Smolare at 7.30 in the morning, at the polling station 1782, where vote was interrupted for about ten minutes after a member of the electoral board was attacked.

Also, a number of diverse violations of the election silence were reported on Saturday.

The fifth presidential elections are being monitored by 9,155 domestic and 489 foreign observers.