Valandovo, 10 October 2025 (MIA) – There are two options to choose from at the Oct. 19 local elections: VMRO-DPMNE or the semi-formal coalition of SDSM, DUI and Levica united by their thirst for power and pathological hatred for VMRO-DPMNE, VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickoski told a campaign rally Friday in Valandovo.

Speaking about his opponents, Mickoski said they had had the chance to prove "how much they care for their home, our shared home, our Macedonia until just 15 months ago." 

"They were the government for seven years and were able to prove themselves to citizens, through their work, through actions, through projects how much they truly care for our shared home," Mickoski said. 

"But they missed that chance because for seven years we saw their thievery, for seven years we saw their pilfering of the Macedonian people, and what hurts the most, those national betrayals of theirs against both the people and the state," he added.

The VMRO-DPMNE leader said that SDSM, DUI and Levica were trying to make the country go backward and VMRO-DPMNE and its coalition were fulfilling all their campaign promises.

"This trio, which is trying to take Macedonia back to what was happening a year and a half ago, is one option," Mickoski said. 

"The other option is VMRO-DPMNE and the coalition. For the past 15 months, we have been solving problems that had accumulated over decades. We promised to increase pensions and we delivered on that," he said. 

"The second thing we promised in the presidential and parliamentary elections was that we would not form a coalition with DUI and that Ali Ahmeti would be in opposition after 20 years in power. We delivered on that. Today, DUI is in opposition," Mickoski said.

He also said the government also delivered on their campaign promise to allocate 250 million euros from the national budget for financing capital investments in municipalities every year. 

"We have invested everywhere in the country," Mickoski said, urging voters to vote for VMRO-DPMNE on Oct. 19. mr/