Skopje, 8 February 2024 (MIA) – SDSM’s parliamentary group will vote in line with the proposal of the Government regarding the personnel changes from the ranks of the Alliance for Albanians (AA) and on the basis of the position of the MPs of the Alliance, said SDSM leader Dimitar Kovachevski in answer to a journalist’s question on Thursday.

“I can’t talk about relations within the Alliance, you will have to ask them. If they have submitted a proposal to the Prime Minister, then you will have to ask the Prime Minister what kind of proposal he has received. On how SDSM’s parliamentary group would vote, it would vote in line with the proposal of the Government and, of course, on the basis of the position of the MPs of the Alliance for Albanians,” said Kovachevski.

Kovachevski said he met with the leader of the Alliance for Albanians, Arben Taravari, when the Government was formed, as well as two days ago. Previously, he said, they had a meeting in SDSM’s headquarters.

“Regarding electoral coalitions, we are currently in a coalition with the parties that are in favor of a continuation of the country’s European integrations, as opposed to the other bloc of political parties, who are against a continuation of the country’s European integrations,” said Kovachevski, stressing that the positioning of the parties at the elections is a decision for the parties’ bodies to make.

Asked about the latest poll published by the Macedonian Radio Television, according to which VMRO-DPMNE has a double lead over SDSM, while the opposition coalition of ethnic Albanian parties is trailing behind DUI, Kovachevski claimed it is a poll carried out by an institute close to the opposition party.

“And with that, MTV (Macedonian Radio Television) only reminds us what the media looked like until 2016, so maybe you should pose this question to Mr. Geer, to the U.S. Ambassador, to the Dutch Ambassador, since they often comment in regard to democracy, the freedom of the media, the manner of reporting etc.,” said Kovachevski.