Skopje, 20 September 2023 (MIA) - VMRO-DPMNE MP and member of the party's Executive Committee, Antonijo Miloshoski, told a press conference on Wednesday that the Kovachevski and Ahmeti led government has negotiated an amnesty for Gruevski in order for him to influence divisions within VMRO-DPMNE and possibly help them pass the constitutional amendments. 

"Amendments to the Criminal Code are not by accident. They have a double purpose, the first is to amnesty officials from the current government, who have unfortunately robbed the state in the past years, and the second is to influence the processes related to Gruevski. The changes to the Criminal Code were negotiated by SDSM, DUI and people from smaller political parties who want divisions within the opposition. Ali Ahmeti also publicly stated this, whether intentionally or accidentally, in an interview. In Ahmeti's statement, it was pointed out that VMRO-DPMNE, led by Mickoski, has neither negotiated the changes to the Criminal Code nor agreed that it is against the changes to the Criminal Code, and is also against changing the Constitution under Bulgarian dictate," Miloshoski said. 

According to him, "the most prominent exponent of the government" has thus made a clear distinction between those who trade with amnesty in order to reach constitutional amendments and their own legal protection, and VMRO-DPMNE, which listens to the will of the people and is against constitutional changes and trading with the justice system for political material purposes.

"In doing this, the goal of SDSM and DUI is to amnesty two former prime ministers. On the other hand, they are changing laws to create personal benefit and protection for the current SDSM and DUI officials. The aforementioned amnesty negotiators will not stop there. They are currently discussing a new amnesty law to save from a prison sentence people close to the government, but they have disagreements over which acts should be covered by that amnesty law, the Ministry of Justice and the Government have different positions," said Miloshoski. 

According to him, SDSM and DUI's agenda in the coming period has two primary political goals.

"One of the goals is to save officials and to have amnesties for those who have stolen and abused office, and the other one is to use Gruevski for fragmentation within VMRO-DPMNE and thus make it easier for them to possibly pass the constitutional amendments. We'd like to tell SDSM and DUI and their clients not to underestimate VMRO-DPMNE, not to underestimate the people. The party is united, the parliamentary group is united, and VMRO-DPMNE will under no circumstances vote for constitutional amendments under Bulgarian dictate, and these political bargaining with amnesties in the Criminal Code will not free the current officials from responsibility," Miloshoski pointed out.  

He added that the party has survived much greater turbulence than the current ones, because the idea and the principles of the party are stronger than any person, current or former, who occupies or has occupied a high party position.

According to Miloshoski, the changes to the Criminal Code were discussed eight months ago, when communication with Budapest has been established, and top SDSM officials and a minister from the ranks of DUI have been involved in the negotiations.

"We have serious indications and documentation about the negotiations that SDSM and DUI officials have held with the former prime minister in Budapest, as well as written documentation here in Macedonia," Miloshoski said in response to a reporter's question.