As the confrontations between the ethnic Albanian parties intensified, a diplomatic offensive from Western officials took place to put an end to the irregularities.

These efforts were supported by the ethnic Macedonian parties, but also by calls from the Albanian and Kosovan prime ministers.

On 22 June 2006 there were clashes between the two major ethnic Macedonian parties VMRO-DPMNE and the SDSM in the center of Skopje.

NATO warned the Macedonian government that pre-election violence risked delays to the country's ambitions to join the military alliance.

The Macedonian government, the European Union and the United States dubbed the elections "a success".