Skopje, 10 February 2024 (MIA) — The state's European integration does not depend on whether the Alliance for Albanians leader Arben Taravari went into opposition, according to SDSM leader Dimitar Kovachevski in response to reporters at a press conference Saturday.

Kovahevski was asked whether the European front still existed after the recent dismissal of two of AA's government ministers who had supported their leader Taravari in saying the party should join the ethnic Albanian opposition bloc at the upcoming parliamentary election.

"We have a majority in Parliament that advocates for the country's European integration," Kovachevski said, pointing out that the country's European front was made up of many parties who had contributed to making progress on the country's EU path.

"We cannot confine the European integration of the state to whether Mr. Taravari went from power into opposition. I don't think the country's fate depends on Taravari."

"He is a politician from Gostivar who is a successful doctor and makes his own political calculations," he said, adding that the country's future cannot depend on one person or one political party. 

"It is a social process," the SDSM leader said. "I don't think that Mr. Taravari is key to the country's future."

He said SDSM was in a coalition with the liberals, the greens and a number of other political parties with shared values. "These are the parties that ensured our NATO membership and the start of our negotiations with the EU. These are the political parties that will ensure North Macedonia's full membership in the EU," he added. mr/