Skopje, 27 April 2025 (MIA) - SDSM is consolidating but is ready for early parliamentary elections and the local elections, if developments go in that direction, says party leader Venko Filipche.

"This process of consolidation will last and it is not complete yet. But of course, the party is prepared for both the local and parliamentary elections," Filipche told Sitel.

Nevertheless, he adds, we will see how the crisis in the governing coalition ends and the question is how sound was the foundation of the coalition in the first place.

"You see the chaos in health and environment, the sectors led by Vlen ministers. Nothing is being done, they are only interested in party affairs, now in the context of the local elections, who takes which municipality and the number of councillors they get," says Filipche.

On the meeting with Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski following the Kochani tragedy, he says the idea was to identify the stagnating reform agenda.

"We drafted the reform agenda, the VMRO-DPMNE coalition signed it in Brussels. About 30 laws are to be adopted within this agenda, half of them related to judiciary and with a deadline until June. None have been adopted in the Parliament until now," says Filipche.

Regarding the constitutional amendments, the SDSM leader says the country is entering a critical, difficult and uncertain period.

"I believe the authorities are demonstrating a high degree of cowardice, not wanting to solve big problems, knowing that party ratings tumble when large issues are resolved," notes Filipche.

He says details in the investigation of the Kochani tragedy show it is selective but the authorities have continually shifted the focus by resurfacing old cases in an attempt to politicize the investigation.

"Police officers were present in the nightclub at 2 a.m. and minors were inside. Why wasn't the party interrupted, why was there pyrotechnics, why no one reacted? Isn't the whole investigation brought into question, because there had been no such incidents in the 10-15 years before the tragedy, the period that encompasses all the previous officials that are now investigated? What is the purpose of this political circus? We believe that incumbent officials are being protected," says Filipche.

Photo: SDSM