SDSM: Mickoski’s Visit has Turned into ‘Cheap PR Farce’

On Wednesday, SDSM said PM Hristijan Mickoski’s visit to the US had turned into a “cheap PR farce” paid for with taxpayer money bringing nothing good for citizens and the country.

“The Government was selling this travel for three days as ‘historic success’, but the truth is completely different. The PM didn’t have an official invitation to the inauguration of President Donald Trump, nor was he part of it. Instead, he attended a party rally organised by the Republican Party, where he followed the inauguration on a monitor.

Instead of serious meetings with world leaders or senior diplomats, we’ve seen photos taken in hotel lobbies, handshakes on the hoof with journalists and several businesspersons, most of whom were just two months ago in our country. This travel has brought no concrete benefit for the country, while the public is right in asking how much this spectacle costs and what have citizens gotten in return.

At the same time, Bulgarian media have revealed that who’s behind the entire organisation is a PR agency [Daschle Group] that enables foreign politicians to attend such events to “have photos of them taken”. That means this is neither diplomatic success nor acknowledgement, but rather a common promotion of Mickoski paid for with taxpayer money. According to initial estimates, this travel costs the state hundreds of thousands of euros, money that could have been used for real needs of citizens.

For example, this money could have been used to reconstruct several schools, buy 10 new ambulances for the Emergency Medical Service or they could have been provided as support for vulnerable groups struggling with living costs”, SDSM said, adding that citizens deserved a leader that would represent the country in a dignified manner, not a “tourist that is spending taxpayer money for fake glory.”