Skopje, 26 February 2024 (MIA) - VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickoski believes that the idea of DUI for electing the country’s president in the Parliament should be ignored. He characterized Ali Ahmeti's statement in this regard as “individual frustrations” assessing “DUI lacks the influence to push forward such an agenda, because it will soon become part of the past, while the arrogance of linking such remarks to a threat for the turnout at the elections is an undemocratic act.”

Following his visit to Gazi Baba municipality, Mickoski responded to journalists' questions by advising media outlets to exercise caution when reporting on such statements.

According to Mickoski, DUI’s initiative for the vice president of the country “is not something that will add value.” He reiterated the party’s stance that all deputy positions should be abolished in order to save funds that could be invested in capital projects.

"I've heard that statement from Ahmeti. This remark, in the absence of other ideas and beneficial projects, while DUI is implicated in massive criminal activities, is an attempt at an easy distraction to create a topic that will later be used in the campaign, as was the case with the 'Albanian Prime Minister'.” I think this should be ignored. Firstly, they are not a significant factor to impose such a topic, and as the public, we should not be swayed by the rhetoric coming from a political option that will soon be part of the past. Secondly, the arrogance to say such a thing and to link it to a threat regarding election turnout is an undemocratic act for a party that wants to present itself as state-building and having been part of the government for 22 years, serving the citizens and the state selflessly," stated Mickoski.

According to him, even VMRO-DPMNE could have come out between two rounds of elections in 2019 and engaged in blackmail, but it chose not to do so.

Mickoski evaluated that Taravari's statement regarding the election of the president in the Parliament is more moderate.

“Taravari stated that it's not a precondition for government formation. As far as I could understand, it's a more moderate statement. However, if we bring this into the public sphere now, there will be no room for messages about improving life, such as the economy and reforms. More importantly, citizens will be more interested in that than in satisfying individual frustrations by giving them attention,” Mickoski said.

He reiterated that VMRO-DPMNE, following the elections, is prepared to discuss all topics, but also emphasized that they have their conditions.

“VMRO-DPMNE has political positions on many of these topics, and depending on who the interlocutor will be, I hope that together we will work in the interest of the citizens and the country,” Mickoski said.

“We believe that vice-presidential and deputy positions should be abolished to save funds that will be allocated for capital investments and for a better standard of living for citizens. Deputy ministerial positions only entail negotiations and outsmarting, or deputies in public enterprises; this should be abolished as we consider them to be unnecessary expenses," Mickoski noted.

He referred to the criticisms from DUI towards Siljanovska Davkova and VMRO-DPMNE as "nonsense" regarding their supposed pro-Russian orientation.

Photo: VMRO-DPMNE