Skopje, 6 June 2024 (MIA) – Former health minister and current MP Venko Filipche, former defense minister and current MP Slavjanka Petrovska and Director of the Directorate for Technological and Industrial Zones (TIRZ) Jovan Despotovski have so far joined the race to become SDSM leader. The three candidates submitted their bids on Wednesday, highlighting the need to reform the party. 

Filipche told reporters on Wednesday he is submitting his candidacy together with a program based on information, suggestions, demands he has been hearing by many members at meetings in the past couple of months.

"They were very clear as to what they want to see changed in the party and that is written in the program. The party will work with commitment and more professionally,” Filipche said.

He noted he was joining the race on his own without a team, as he believes that a team should be set up after election. 

In a message to the SDSM members, Filipche vowed he will work with dedication to bring positive changes as demanded by the members themselves,

Former defense minister Slavjanka Petrovska, who also chairs SDSM's Central Board, said her focus is on future priorities of the party, adding that SDSM has suffered defeats in the past, but this time around the situation is different given the political circumstances in the country.

Asked by MIA’s reporter about her strategies to unite the SDSM membership, Petrovska said if elected party leader, she would initiate frequent inter-party debates after being pushed aside. She said she has received support from several former party officials but fell short of naming them noting she wouldn’t want to “mishandle” their names.

In a symbolic announcement in front of the Museum of the City of Skopje, Despotovski said he will run for SDSM leader, adding that if elected, he will introduce a new mechanism for the party to act as a constructive opposition. He pointed out that he will form a shadow government, which will provide the citizens with an option to think and compare.

"SDSM is in a difficult situation and it needs a fresh start. Behind us is the railway station, which was devastated by the deadly earthquake 61 years ago. We’re announcing today a new program for a fresh start of a new SDSM. All of our team will work on SDSM rising from the ashes to become a new party that unites, the same as Skopje had risen from the ashes to become the beautiful city that it is today," said Despotovski. 

He called on his opponents to champion together a fair election in the party, saying “SDSM only with a clear election process will be able to start a process of re-building.” 

On May 31, SDSM launched a procedure for extraordinary inter-party elections for a new party leader. SDSM will hold a congress on June 9 to analyze the reasons for the election defeat.

The extraordinary inter-party elections will take place June 30. bam/nn/

Photo: MIA archive