Skopje, 14 September 2026 (MIA) - The leader of opposition party SDSM, Venko Filipche, assessed Monday that the announced reduction of the VAT rate for diesel from 18 to 10 percent is a belated and insufficient measure that will not significantly improve the living standard of the citizens. Filipche instead proposed a complete scrapping of excise taxes and a reduction of the VAT rate to 5 percent, noting that only such measures can lead to a significant reduction in prices.

"The Prime Minister has announced measures aimed at reducing fuel prices, i.e., reducing the VAT rate from 18 to 10 percent. We believe these measures are very late and won't have any significant effect. This will be just one more manipulation, nothing substantive that will ease the crisis the citizens are experiencing," Filipche said at a press conference Monday.

At the press conference, the leader of SDSM accused the Government and Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski of lacking measures to support the citizens amid growing prices, as well as non-transparent spending of public funds and distancing the country from EU accession.  

Filipche urged the relevant institutions to investigate the EUR 5 million spent in relation to the organization of the concert of David Guetta on the country's Independence Day.  

The opposition leader also said the party would submit a motion of no-confidence against Minister of Local Self-Government Ivan Stoilkovikj and voiced concern over the state of the media in the country and "the influence on democratic processes".

Regarding the Electoral Code, Filipche said SDSM is in favor of retaining the current way of marking the ballot paper, while in terms of the diaspora vote he reiterated the party's opposition to the introduction of online voting and voting by mail, noting that such models carry risks of manipulation.

MIA file photo