Skopje, 12 April 2023 (MIA) – VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickoski urged President Stevo Pendarovski not to sign the decree for the law related to the construction of corridors VIII and X-d which are currently in parliamentary procedure.

In answer to a journalist’s question on Wednesday, Mickoski said that what is worrying is the fact that the entire process of the corridors’ construction is not transparent and the public has no access to the contract.

“Now they are coming up with some press releases stating they are not paying penalties but additional costs. This is why we have Pendarovski in the role of an analyst turning to folk wisdom instead of talking about what actions he will undertake. I urge him not to hide behind Parliament, to come out and to refuse to sign the laws, and to work in the interests of the citizens and the state at least once in these five years as President,” said Mickoski.

Regarding the Government’s position on extending the working week from 40 to 60 hours, Mickoski said that the Government’s statement on this deserves no response, adding that it is a crime.

“What they said yesterday deserves no response, but I want to warn them that they are placing the country in a subordinate position. This is a crime and I will repeat once again – they will all answer for this crime,” said Mickoski.

Referring to Pendarovski’s statement Tuesday on whether he will run for President at the next elections, Mickoski said that, with his statements, Pendarovski continues to offer himself to SDSM and DUI’s ruling coalition, thinking that he will be the presidential candidate again.

“I have to disappoint him and say that he is the opposition’s most desired opponent at the next presidential elections because he will surely experience a debacle and lose. He should work with dignity in the remaining months and retire to history as a bad example of how a president should approach his country,” said Mickoski.

On Tuesday, President Pendarovski told TV Sitel that he will wait for the final versions of the laws before deciding if he will sign the decrees.

On whether he will run for President again, Pendarovski said that the support of the citizens is what matters to him most.

“When the time comes, I will make a statement. I have said in the past that the support of the coalition which supported me not only in 2019, but also in 2014, is important to me, but the support of the citizens is far more important. If I don’t have it, then I won’t consider it, but if I have the support of the citizens, I could consider it as an option together with the political entities that would like to support me during that period,” said Pendarovski.

Photo: MIA Archive