Skopje, 9 June 2024 (MIA) — Ahead of the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia's 29th Congress on Sunday, outgoing SDSM president Dimitar Kovachevski said party members would be discussing matters related to the election defeat as well as the party's results over the past four years.

According to Kovachevski, the expected outcome of the Congress is for SDSM to come out stronger and more united as the party enters the process of finalizing the election of its new president and new leadership.

In response to a reporter's question whether he expected to be criticized by SDSM members for the way he had led the party up to the parliamentary election defeat, Kovachevski said he expected an open debate.

"What I had to say, I said it on May 8 and on May 22, the day I officially resigned from the post of SDSM president. I expect an open debate and a constructive, open discussion of all the issues that contributed to the results of this election as well as the 2021 elections, considering we did not convene a Congress for taking accountability at the time," he said, adding that participants would have plenty to talk about.

According to current SDSM vice-president Fatmir Bytyqi, the Congress would be pivotal for the party.

"What every democratic party should do after an election is to talk openly about the election results, about all situations preceding the election and how to proceed in the next period," Bytyqi said.

"I consider it a turning point in the party, which is why this day is very important for me," he said.

Asked what kind of leader SDSM deserved after the defeat, Bytyqi gave a short answer: "A winning one."

Kovachevski, after the election defeat, at a May 22 session of the party's executive board, officially resigned from the post of party president and requested the party convene a congress and organize internal party elections.

Kovachevski had announced his resignation on May 8, citing moral reasons as well as the party's Statute. He also initiated the convening of a congress in order for party members to analyze the election results.

Meanwhile, the June 6 deadline closed for SDSM members to submit their bids for party president.

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 Bajdovski entered the race for party leader.

The internal party election for SDSM president will be held on June 30. Its central election committee will conduct the election together with 80 municipal election committees and polling station boards at the local level. All SDSM members who register to vote — through the SDSM website or through the party's municipal organizations — will be eligible to cast their votes.

The SDSM central board also proposed changing the party Statute so that the party president elected in extraordinary elections should serve a four-year term in office. mr/