Skopje, 11 May 2026 (MIA) - SDSM leader Venko Filipce made accusations on Monday that citizens are being held hostage by media propaganda in the belief that the country's European path is a kind of betrayal. According to Filipche, such propaganda shifts responsibility for stalled reforms to the European Union and instead of real results and implemented reforms, the public is witnessing political spin and attempts to manipulate citizens.

Speaking at a press conference at the party's headquarters, Filipche said the propaganda will come to an end and accountability will follow.

"With all the fake news, people can no longer tell between truth and lies, as they consider the European path to be some kind of betrayal and a threat to national interests. This is an offshoot of Orban's propaganda here. That propaganda will come to an end just like what Magyar did in Hungary, he abolished the frequencies and the people from Orban's media, who have been spreading lies, disinformation, black campaigns for years, and have started apologizing to the citizens for what they did," said Filipche. 

According to Filipche, anti-European campaign and Euroscepticism are the tasks of such "media octopus".

The reform agenda, he pointed out, is a problem for the ruling party because reforms mean an independent judiciary, democracy, the rule of law and accountability, and the people in power do not want that.

"In addition to fulfilling the reform agenda and adopting reform laws, constitutional amendments should also be adopted. Minorities are not new people who should come to us, they are our neighbors, friends... The problem is not minorities, but crime and corruption. That is what they are ready to sacrifice our future for. We are not negotiating with Bulgaria, but with the European Union," Filipche said, adding that Europe is the national interest.

Photo: print screen