On Thursday, VMRO-DPMNE held a new press-conference where it called on Venko Filipce to resign as SDSM leader over his party’s result in the local elections.
“With wins in just six municipalities, barely 126,000 votes, and around 230 members of councils, SDS[M] has suffered the biggest election defeat in its history. However, despite these results, there have been neither reforms nor responsibility within SDS[M]. Only fake statements that they’ve gotten the message and that there will be changes.
Therefore, it’s time for SDS[M] to face the truth that Filipce must leave, the party must finally distance itself from [ex-SDSM leader and former PM] Zoran Zaev, and make genuine reforms. Macedonia and VMRO-DPMNE must have an opposition that will be constructive, responsible, and contribute to the country, instead of an arrogant and destructive party that only thinks about personal interests”, the ruling party’s Viktorija Andonovska stressed.
The previous day, SDSM MP and ex-Interior Minister Oliver Spasovski had stated in an interview with Alsat-M that the election result was the worst in his party’s history.
“The result of 126,000 votes represents the bottom. I would like for that to be the bottom where all of us will stop. That worries me, but also motivates me in terms of us seeing what should be done further”, he pointed out.
According to him, changes are needed with regards to both staff and approach. Asked whether he would call for Venko Filipce to resign as party leader or take responsibility, the SDSM MP stated that every person running for a leader took responsibility for both best and worst results.
“Resignations are a personal act, a deeply moral and highly ethical one. However, the solution doesn’t lie in public calls and media debates, but rather in a serious intraparty analysis and conversation in the frames of party organs”, Spasovski noted.
In his view, it was a serious mistake that SDSM didn’t endorse mayoral candidates in part of municipalities, including Kicevo and Struga, which contributed to a weaker result. He also sent a message to VMRO-DPMNE, saying absolute power always represented both the peak and the fall’s start.