Skopje, 26 August 2023 (MIA) — VMRO-DPMNE's leader Hristijan Mickoski said the meeting with the US Department of State's Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs and Special Representative to the Western Balkans Gabriel Escobar on Friday was "a constructive and friendly meeting between strategic partners," adding that while cooperating with the international community was important, his party's utmost priority was "our fellow citizens' quality of life."

"This government, despite having zero credibility, is abusing representatives of the international community, of which the USA is a part, with false information," Mickoski said.

"And it is some of that false information we had to debrief during the meeting with Mr. Escobar and Ambassador Angela Aggeler so now I should say VMRO-DPMNE's positions have been made more clear to Mr. Escobar himself."

"We are just as concerned as they are about the current situation in Macedonia, although our concern is greater because we are the ones living in this country," the VMRO-DPMNE head said.

He reiterated his party's demand for a snap election as soon as possible, because, as he said, the current government was pushing only for "constitutional amendments under Bulgarian dictation and they have hit a wall." mr/