SDSM: The new political platform aims to build an opposition controlled by Mickoski

Dozens of former SDSM officials, together with current MP Slavjanka Petrovska, presented a new initiative within the social democratic camp, with the aim of bringing the social democratic idea back to the forefront.

According to them, the SDSM led by Venko Filipce does not represent them properly.

At the event, “Conversations for the Future,” several former senior SDSM officials were also present, as well as PLD chairwoman Monika Zajkova.

Those present assessed that the opposition needs a revolution in ideology and values, while calling for an open debate and a new social contract that would serve as the basis for political change.

“Macedonia needs a new social contract as the basis for creating broad opposition potential for change. The progressive democratic public needs a genuine and objective debate, which, in order to achieve its goal, must be free from the usual need to please party authorities,” their statement said.

After the presentation of this new political platform, SDSM reacted, describing it as an attempt by Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski to build a controlled opposition. The party also said that SDSM voters would not be deceived as happened with ZNAM.

“The announced platform for ‘conversations for the future’ is yet another attempt in the series of efforts by Hristijan Mickoski to create a controlled opposition. First, it is not known who is behind it. There is no name of the organizer, there is no transparency, and everything is taking place according to Chatham House rules. When you look at what happened at the first meeting, it becomes clear that, although there was talk of ‘uniting the opposition,’ the first point and conclusion of the meeting was an attack on SDSM. Mickoski announced this platform as early as the end of last year. The first promoters were Jovan Despotovski and Petre Shilegov, as a new version of ZNAM 2.0. Since he failed to bring down SDSM from within, he is now bringing together its former members to attack it from the outside,” the SDSM reaction said.