Skopje, 25 December 2023 (MIA) - VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickoski says he has not held a secret meeting with Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski, but he is available if invited for a public meeting on aligning about the caretaker government. According to him, Talat Xhaferi does not deserve VMRO-DPMNE's support for a caretaker PM, and in the interest of the democratic process, the party would abstain from voting.

"I have not held a secret meeting. Secret meetings are not part of who I am. If Kovachevski wants us to discuss the caretaker government or some other political processes that are to come, I am available, we just have to agree on the date. You know that I have been calling for such meetings for a long time. First I was rejected, and then we saw some political gymnastics performed on the political stage so that finally those meetings and leaders' meetings were held, and the elections were defined. I don't see why it would happen away from the public eye. I believe that the public should be informed. I think the people are fed up with such secret meetings, negotiations and agreements," Mickoski told Monday's press conference on development investments in 15 VMRO-DPMNE led municipalities. 

As regards whether the meeting would be held before decision is made on the caretaker ministers, he said that it depends on the one organizing the meeting, i.e. the PM, noting however that the decision on VMRO-DPMNE's participation in the caretaker government is his personal opinion and the party bodies are yet to decide on that.

In addition, Mickoski said his position was that Talat Xhaferi doesn't deserve VMRO-DPMNE's support. 

"Talat Xhaferi does not deserve VMRO-DPMNE's support for caretaker prime minister, Talat Xhaferi does not deserve VMRO-DPMNE's support for anything. The most we can do in the interest of a good atmosphere and democratic process is to abstain from any voting, but that is my position, we will see what the party bodies decide," said Mickoski. 

Five days ago in Bitola, PM Kovachevski said he would call for a meeting with Mickoski over the caretaker government after party bodies meet. He noted that the meeting won't be announced through the media and talks will focus on the caretaker ministers.