Skopje, 26 May 2025 (MIA) - SDSM leader Venko Filipche regrets Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski’s decision to reject his invitation to a leaders’ meeting to discuss issues which, according to Filipche, are important for achieving national consensus in a multiethnic and multicultural country.

“Evidently we are reading some things differently, maybe we are interpreting them differently. For example, if there is an issue or an opinion that the history commission [ with Bulgaria] could be an obstacle in the Euro-integration process after the adoption of the constitutional amendments, personally I don’t think this is mentioned as a condition anywhere in the Protocol. On the contrary, the governments are encouraging the work of the history commission and all decisions are made by consensus,” Filipche said.

Filipche reiterated that a leaders’ meeting should be held.

“I believe the messages by the President of the European Council [Costa] and High Representative Kallas are very clear, this is the moment for us to catch up with Montenegro and Albania, which are making huge strides and are expected to reach the EU’s doorway in two-three or four years at most,” Filipche said.

The opposition leader said work should be done to find a way to modify the work of the joint history commission with Bulgaria, noting that SDSM wants to see foreign experts participate as well.

“For example, people who have experience in their countries on this topic, like Germany with Poland, Germany with Austria etc. I think the worst thing we can do is not try,” Filipche said.

The SDSM leader said he would continue “to be constructive and provide proposals” that should be discussed by the leaders of the largest parties. “Evidently the current mood in the European Union is that this process should be supported, and we can see this by the example of Montenegro and Albania,” he underscored.

Filipche stressed that talks can solve certain problems and unresolved issues in the interest of the country’s progress.

Photo: MIA