Skopje, 15 October 2025 (MIA) – SDSM leader Venko Filipche said Wednesday a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during her Skopje visit today, as part of her Western Balkans tour, hasn’t been planned.

Regarding the country’s EU integration process, he said it is the government that should deliver and reveal what the next step is for resuming the EU accession path.

“We’re waiting for the country to move forward. There is no plan, no vision, nothing has been happening in the past year and a half. Montenegro has closed all the clusters and it’s very probable that both Montenegro and Albania will join the EU by 2029. It is the government that should say what we are going to do, what is the next step in resuming the EU integration process,” Filipche told Wednesday’s news conference.

Regarding Sunday’s local elections, he said his party is dedicated to working on the ground, which involves all of its members and supporters. 

“I take this opportunity to call on them to vote on Sunday, it’s very important that we vote to increase turnout. We have very good candidates, I believe they are favourites to win in all municipalities. We’ll start making strategies for the second round starting Monday,” said Filipche.

On possible early elections, Filipche said his party always stands ready for parliamentary elections. 

“We’re seeing there is not a single good indicator in the country, not a single category of citizens is happy with the government in this country. We have disastrous economic indicators. The prime minister is inconsistent – once he said there will be early polls before saying there won’t be any. He is fully aware that he will never again win the same number of votes and seats in parliament as his party did last year. The people have come to their senses. We are prepared for parliamentary elections,” stated Filipche.

Asked for a comment on a photo shared on social media showing former SDSM leader Branko Crvenkovski having lunch in Ohrid with two VMRO-DPMNE officials, including the current Ohrid mayor who seeks re-election, Filipche said he will only quote Crvenkovski himself: “Either you are SDSM or you are not.” 

Photo: MIA