Skopje, 27 March 2024 (MIA) – The Citizen Option for Macedonia (GROM), Macedonian Conservative Party (INTEGRA) and Party for Full Emancipation of Roma (PCER) political parties signed a coalition agreement Wednesday over joint participation in the coming elections. The agreement was signed between the three party leaders - Stevcho Jakimovski (GROM), Ljupcho Ristovski (INTEGRA), and Samka Ibraimoski (PCER).

Not accepting constitutional amendments, increasing the standard of living, social protection of citizens, better education, security system, energy, infrastructure is all part of the program of the coalition named "Brave for Macedonia", established between the three parties for the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections.

Jakimovski stressed that the "Brave for Macedonia" coalition will not give into pressure and will not support blackmail and constitutional amendments, neither before nor after the elections, and they remain firmly committed to solving issues that are "artificially imposed". He also pointed out that the key to a coalition after the elections is not accepting constitutional amendments.

"The common position of all three parties is that they are against constitutional amendments, against the inclusion of Bulgarians in the Constitution without closing the entire package of open issues. We believe that these issues are not to be discussed or negotiated. We believe that Macedonia should be part of the integration processes, but we reject the inclusion of new and unsolvable issues related to identity, language, culture, history, requirements that are not imposed on any other people or country for EU integration," Jakimovski said.

This coalition, he added, proposes administration reforms - everyone to work according to their education, and education reforms as an important foundation of social development.

"We have serious issues in education. As an important pillar of the foundation of the state and development of young people, we believe that this issue should be addressed jointly. A precondition for a coalition after getting seats in Parliament are education reforms, as an important foundation of social development," Jakimovski stressed.

Tackling rising poverty, according to the leaders of the three parties, will be targeted with innovative strategies and policies and will have to unlock funds that create the conditions to encourage the creative potential of every individual to start a business and create new value.

The "Brave for Macedonia" coalition unveiled its list principals for the six election districts in the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for May 8.

The list in the first election district will be headed by Dobrila Andonovska, Ljupcho Ristovski in the second election district, Jordan Nikolov in the third, Ruzhica Nikolova in the fourth, Samka Ibraimoski in the fifth and Zoran Sofreski in the sixth election district. ssh/nn/

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