Skopje, 4 February 2026 (MIA) — SDSM leader Venko Filipche has sent a public letter paying tribute to the legacy of Macedonian revolutionary and visionary Goce Delchev on his 154th birth anniversary.

"Today we mark 154 years since the birth of the Macedonian great and revolutionary Goce Delchev, one of the visionaries who laid the foundations of Macedonian statehood," Filipche wrote.

"Delchev's legacy is our reminder that Macedonia is built with courage, solidarity and togetherness," he wrote.

Delchev's proverbial sentence "I regard the world as a field for cultural competition among nations," according to the SDSM leader, remains "a clear call that Macedonia must make progress toward a modern, prosperous and European state, and not back into isolation."

At a time when the country is once again facing serious challenges, Filipche said, national interests should be prioritized over scoring political points.

"Let's continue Delchev's legacy," he wrote. "Let's build an advanced, fair, democratic and economically strong state, where young people and all citizens can see a perspective. May the memory of the great Goce Delchev be eternal," the SDSM leader wrote. mr/