Skopje, 30 October 2025 (MIA) - Speaking at the final rally in Skopje before the second round of local elections on Sunday, VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickoski expressed his vision of Macedonia in 20 years as a country where “young people won’t see their future elsewhere, but here, among their own – they won’t need to come back because they will never leave.”

“The future is not just about technology and investments. The future is a culture of honesty, instilling hard work, order, and the belief that success is earned, not stolen. And I’ll be honest, there are nights when numbers, deadlines, and problems put pressure on me. But whenever I think we’ve done enough, or moved something forward, or face something we cannot do, your support and trust bring me back to the ground and give me strength. Because this is not a 100-meter sprint, this is a marathon across generations,” Mickoski said.

He said that in the first round, the citizens of Skopje sent a message, “and in the second round, we will make the victory historic, not only because of the success itself, but also because of the beginning it will mark.” He also urged citizens to unite and overcome divisions of all kinds.

“Victory is measured not only by vote differences but by the awareness that we are not going back, that we are not a gullible audience for empty promises or manipulated numbers. Some will create new formulas, add, subtract, multiply, divide, and fool themselves with mathematics that is their weakness. They will seek alibis, compare endlessly, and waste time on trivial matters because they refuse to see their mistakes, yet the numbers tell the truth. Skopje has the choice to move forward with Orce Gjorgjievski. Let us not allow hatred to divide us again. We have to recognize that diversity is strength, proof of a living society. In the first round, we showed we can oppose hatred and division. In cities where they expected us to fail, we chose to act, to create unity, and to plan for the long term,” Mickoski stated.

Mickoski urged that the second round be “a clear victory – measured not only in votes, but in the awareness that the people understand.”

Speaking at the final campaign rally in downtown Skopje, he also addressed the nation’s European integration and relations with neighboring countries, stressing that “our journey toward the EU will be dignified, not submissive.”

“Macedonia is not on the doorstep of Europe,” he said, “Macedonia is Europe in spirit, in values, in history, and in dignity.”

“We will not allow anyone to undermine our statehood or dictate our identity. Dialogue with neighbors is welcome, but not submission. We will work with all, including Bulgaria, based on respect, equality, and European principles. We reject any conditions that compromise the core of the Macedonian nation, its language, or its history. Our path to the EU will be dignified, not subservient. In Brussels, we will stand upright with facts and arguments, asserting Macedonian identity and distinctiveness. Unity across political and ethnic lines is essential, with a common strategy guiding us,” Mickoski emphasized.

As he said, “SDSM has put us in a mess,” and he pledged to protect national interests.

“SDSM has put us in a mess, and now instead of staying silent, they want to stir the mess, adding so-called red lines meant to be the carrot in the story before the stick is used on the state. I do not accept that. With me, you will always know where you stand, and I commit to protecting our national interests,” VMRO-DPMNE leader stated.

Photo: VMRO-DPMNE