Gevgelija, 8 January 2026 (MIA) — Prime Minister and VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickoski has scheduled a Jan. 14 meeting to discuss his government's proposals regarding several reform agenda laws, apppointing the ombudsman, abolishing the caretaker government system and other issues with fellow political party leaders, he told reporters Thursday. 

He said his government's priority was to implement reforms and realize projects – and not to call a snap election as suggested by SDSM leader Venko Filipche earlier Thursday.

"I thought this invitation would show our maturity and breadth so we could join forces as political factors, at least with all those parliamentary parties and coalitions that have parliamentary groups within Parliament," Mickoski said.

Commenting on the SDSM leader's declining his invitation for the meeting — and his claims VMRO-DPMNE was scheming to call a snap election to hold on to power longer — the PM said voters had made it clear whom they supported in the recent local elections. 

"For us, this issue has been resolved," he said. "Our focus remains exclusively on the country's reforms and progress as well as improving citizens' living standards."

He said the SDSM leader was acting immature.

"If we decided to behave as immaturely and irresponsibly as he does, and the opposition in general does, then we would not need any leadership meeting. 

"With 61 votes in Parliament, we can change the Law on the Government and scrap the caretaker government on our own. We don't need the opposition's opinion on this. 

"But we want this process to be inclusive despite the fact we have a huge majority of mayors and almost a two-thirds majority in Parliament. 

"So if we wanted to behave immaturely as they do, but also irresponsibly, we could have done it without this leadership meeting," the PM said.

He said other topics of discussion would include proposed amendments to the Electoral Code as well as four draft laws related to the judiciary.

According to Mickoski, the opposition is "irresponsible, unconstructive and unimaginative."

"Alright, I guess this kind of behavior, this kind of public address, is part and parcel of [Filipche's] deal he signed as SDSM president, so I guess it is in his job description, flinging these insults at the government and rejecting these meetings. But it is his choice. We will still formally deliver the invitations today or tomorrow," the prime minister said.

For the PM, the SDSM's messages are confusing and their behaviour unclear.

"Until recently, they were asking for a leadership meeting. But now that there is one, they are refusing it," he said. mr/