Struga, 2 August 2022 (MIA) — By uniting and reaching out to everyone who puts Macedonia first, VMRO-DPMNE will fight the betrayals and the painful reality, the party’s leader Hristijan Mickoski said in his speech marking the Day of the Republic in the Struga village of Tashmarunista, where key battles took place during the Ilinden Uprising. Urging the public to support VMRO-DPMNE’s idea for a referendum on the French proposal that lifted the veto on North Macedonia’s start of EU talks, Mickoski said citizens should "create a future without giving up, like the Ilinden fighters." He also said a snap election and a VMRO-DPMNE majority in Parliament would be a guarantee “that Macedonia reclaims what it has lost.” “And remember, there was the first, there was the second Ilinden, and the third Ilinden was September 8, 1991. Let’s fight for another new Ilinden, where we will have Macedonia win over all injustices, installations, and forces that are dragging us down. Ilinden has taught us there is no giving up, the fight is constant, and love for the homeland is our greatest power. That is why Macedonia will win and we will move forward. The flame is burning, changes will come,” Mickoski said. Recalling the Ilinden Uprising and the faith of the Macedonian people in continuing to fight for their state, he said they achieved the goal 40 years later in ASNOM Macedonia. VMRO-DPMNE’s head also said the names of the heroes that fought for the country were spoken with respect because they believed in the idea when many gave up. Claiming it was "a catastrophe" that the government had accepted the French proposal to start EU talks, he said the VMRO-DPMNE-proposed referendum would "give people a chance to make a decision” on the matter. mr/