Skopje, 18 March 2024 (MIA) – SDSM has a very clear vision for North Macedonia as a member state of the European Union, we have a very clear plan how to achieve this. On the other hand, VMRO-DPMNE doesn’t offer any plan for progress in the European integrations, in fact sometimes we can hear them saying we shouldn’t even become a member for 100 years, perhaps never, SDSM leader Dimitar Kovachevski told Sloboden Pechat in an interview published Monday.

“SDSM is the party that secured the country's EU candidate status, NATO membership and the beginning of EU negotiations after 17 years of waiting. That's why I say there is no European Macedonia without SDSM. The EU is our only option from the aspect of what it means for our economic progress, economic security, social justice and the promotion of democracy,” said Kovachevski.

According to the SDSM leader, VMRO-DPMNE has no plan for a European future.

“On one hand this shows that they are continuing the policies of Nikola Gruevski, their former leader, considering that we heard the same positions at that time as well. If you take a look at their presidential candidate, you will see the same positions again and that’s why I say that with them, North Macedonia will once again return to some waiting room, to some dark past with non-democratic processes and a regression of the economic processes,” Kovachevski told Sloboden Pechat.

He stressed that SDSM offers “a clear vision and hope to the Macedonian citizens,” which is why, he said, these elections will represent a choice between “hope with SDSM and hopelessness with VMRO-DPMNE”.

Asked about the wage growth plan, the SDSM leader and former Prime Minister said the minimum wage will reach EUR 600 by 2028, stressing that this sum wouldn’t be a burden for the business sector and that the party has a plan on how to achieve it.

Photo: SDSM