Skopje, 10 June 2024 (MIA) - SDSM Vice-President Sanja Lukarevska says the postponed party congress that began yesterday but was later adjourned would take place on June 30, namely prior to the intra-party elections of a new leader.

"I think a continuation will come soon and a working group is tasked with all congress-related activities. The SDSM congress is a place where every delegate can say what he/she thinks and I hope we will see more well-intentioned critics and less detractors," Lukarevska told TV24.

She denied reports that yesterday's congress was interrupted due to lack of quorum and the absence of representatives from the local clubs.

"The Report on the parliamentary and presidential elections states that our mistakes lie in the over-highlighting of some strategies and visions. Each election district has a different policy as its priority and we focused on theses that were not the right narrative for those voters. We failed to address the undecided voters. We did not consider members' interests, were disconnected and arrogant," says Lukarevska.

SDSM's 29th Congress was cut short after municipal organizations' leaders requested more time to contribute to the party's draft Report on the 2024 Parliamentary and Presidential election.

Between May 31 and June 6, former Minister of Defense Slavjanka Petrovska, former Minister of Health Venko Filipche, Free Zones Authority director Jovan Despotovski and current Deputy Minister of Information Society and Administration in the caretaker government Aleksandar Bajdevski entered the race for party leader.

MIA file photo