Skopje, 10 May 2026 (MIA) - The Macedonian national identity is not threatened by minorities in the Constitution, but by crime and corruption, said SDSM leader Venko Filipche at a press conference Sunday.

According to Filipche, the Government led by Hristijan Mickoski wants to isolate the country from Europe.

“Hristijan Mickoski and his crime group VMRO must understand that the citizens can see very clearly what they are doing. They intentionally want to isolate the country from Europe to protect their criminal group in power. The inclusion of minorities in the Constitution to ensure their rights are respected does not threaten the Macedonian national identity. On the contrary, it strengthens our national identity. When minorities are defined and guaranteed by the country’s highest legal act, it doesn’t weaken us – it makes us stronger and strengthens the social cohesion,” Filipche said.

The opposition leader said the constitutional amendments would only threaten “the criminal group of VMRO and Hristijan Mickoski personally”.

“Because the continuation of the European path means implementation of European laws and justice. It means European prosecutors who can't be ordered around from Parliament or from their public TV appearances. It means an end to fixed tenders and partisan stealing of state money,” Filipche said.

Asked if he thinks the new Prime Minister of Bulgaria, Rumen Radev, is the best negotiating partner considering he has previously described the Macedonian language as a Bulgarian dialect, Filipche said politicians in every country are chosen by their citizens, while stressing that the country’s dealings are not with Bulgaria, but with Europe.

“We need to fulfill European demands. We need to fulfill agreements approved by all EU member states, of course, including Bulgaria too. What do we have to negotiate with Radev when it comes to our European path? Nothing,” Filipche said.

The opposition leader said the Macedonian language is included in the negotiating framework, and that by adopting the negotiating framework, the Bulgarian Parliament recognized the Macedonian language.

Photo: MIA