Skopje, 20 January 2022 (MIA) – It is totally pointless to be demanding elections in the midst of health, energy and economic crisis, Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski said Thursday commenting on the opposition VMRO-DPMNE’s demands for early parliamentary elections. “I’ve offered cooperation and I invited the opposition, the academic community, the chambers of commerce and trade unions to join forces to work during the crisis so as to cushion the blow. The door is open for everyone who wants to help. However, VMRO-DPMNE’s demands for early elections are unfounded,” Kovachevski said in an interview with Kanal 5 TV. He said he’d call the opposition leader, Hristijan Mickoski to invite him to a meeting, adding: “I will not accept blackmail to meet him.” “Being the prime minster, I have to talk to everyone, but now the focus is on the energy crisis and everything that has been happening in the country. I hope he will accept it so will be able to have a meeting,” Kovachevski said. The new PM dismissed accusations by the opposition of being “Zaev’s pawn”. “I proposed a new executive board [of the party], new vice presidents and secretaries. While forming the government, I followed the same principle, to elect people with knowledge adequate for the office,” Kovachevski said adding he has had contacts with all former leaders of SDSM to ask for advice for how to manage the party and govern the country.