Skopje, 21 September 2022 (MIA) – Hristijan Mickski is politically spent and should leave the VMRO-DPMNE leader’s post, says party member and former minister of interior Oliver Andonov, who has launched a faction for democratization and reorganization of the opposition party. “Today’s press conference focuses on one thing – an open call to Mr. Mickoski to resign from the post of VMRO-DPMNE president and thus open a path for necessary democratic changes in the party, which was a symbol of Macedonian democracy in the 1990s but is now perceived as a symbol of political decadence,” said Andonov. According to him, the faction is supported by party veterans, VMRO-DPMNE founders, regular members, former officials but also people from the current leadership. “When I say politically spent I refer to the past five years, during which Mickoski did nothing to make VMRO-DPMNE proud or defend a national interest,” added Andonov. He said they would not serve as a parallel structure but act as a faction within the party. In response to Andonov’s press conference, leader Mickoski said calls for his replacement from the party’s helm have been circulating since his appointment, while adding that the party is becoming stronger and more united. “I can’t say that VMRO-DPMNE has factions. Those people have been calling for my replacement for 4,5 years, while VMRO-DPMNE is becoming stronger and more united. This will be the case at the next early parliamentary elections and the resulting parliamentary majority. I don’t want to waste time on commenting about this person,” said Mickoski.