Skopje, 19 February 2024 (MIA) — By early March, SDSM will nominate a pro-European presidential candidate who will be backed by the party's coalition partners as well, because SDSM-led governments have always been pro-European, unlike some others, SDSM leader and former Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski said in response to reporters' questions during a press conference Monday.

"We are a democratic society and any candidate, any political party has the right to run for any post," Kovachevski said. "Our presidential candidate will be backed by the political parties that have been with us in a coalition, that are with us in a coalition, and that will be with us in a coalition in future elections."

He said coalition talks were under way with parties ahead of the upcoming elections.

Answering a question whether DUI would support SDSM's presidential candidate, Kovachevski said it was up to DUI to decide whether they would back SDSM's candidate or nominate their own.

"SDSM will nominate a presidential candidate and we are calling on progressive political parties, individuals, non-governmental organizations, and [other] organizations to support our candidate and join us in a coalition," Kovachevski said.

"Our candidates both in the past and now, and our governments, have shown that with us, there is a European Macedonia, there is a Macedonia with full NATO membership. Not so with the others, because they showed us for 11 years, and four before that, that there was neither the EU nor NATO," Kovachevski said.

"Those who want to join us, will join us," he continued. "Those who think they should nominate their own candidates, will. We are a democratic society."

He said he had not met with DUI leader Ali Ahmeti recently, but a meeting between them was planned in the near future.

Regarding the possibility of Ahmeti running for President, the SDSM leader said the press should ask DUI about it. "We will have our own presidential candidate," he reiterated. 

"Whether he [Ahmeti] will run or who will be DUI's candidate, you'll have to ask them. I can't give you that answer. I don't have that information," Kovachevski said. mr/