The Basic Court in Strumica declared itself territorially incompetent to hear former Prime Minister Zoran Zaev's defamation lawsuit against VMRO-DPMNE MP Brane Petrushevski. The case was dismissed on procedural grounds, without addressing the substance.

Petrushevski called the outcome "a great victory against Zaev," adding: "Though small in appearance, for me it's a great victory." He criticized Zaev and his lawyer, suggesting they either don't understand legal procedures or believe Strumica is still their personal territory.

The lawsuit was dismissed for jurisdiction, not for content. But in Macedonian politics, even a procedural decision gets turned into a propaganda victory.