Skopje, 19 December 2023 (MIA) – Alliance for Albanians leader and Gostivar Mayor, Arben Taravari, said Tuesday his party would not join a coalition with VMRO-DPMNE, unless the country moves forward on its European path.

“Even if they offer us fifteen ministerial posts, if we aren’t headed down the European path, we have no business there. In that case, the leader of the Alliance can resign, and the party can move forward. However, the Alliance for Albanians cannot join any block that will stagnate the country in the next five to ten years,” Taravari told Sloboden Pechat in an interview.

According to the leader of the Alliance for Albanians, if the party is part of a future government, it will have to be a government which will guarantee that the European path will be its priority at any cost.

Regarding the upcoming presidential elections, Taravari stressed that the party is still discussing the issue internally and said several options were possible. He said the candidates are still not known, and provided a positive assessment of the country’s current President, Stevo Pendarovski.

“Pendarovski has honestly shown himself to be a relatively good president. Perhaps I would say among the better ones in the past 30 years in Macedonia. It could always be better, however, he didn’t have any conflicts, any issues. In some way he remained neutral. He was a little ambivalent, maybe he could’ve been more ambitions. But generally I think he leaves an impression of a positive person,” said Taravari.

Photo: MIA Archive