Skopje, 28 April 2026 (MIA) - There are no divisions within the MP group or the party. It's true that we are discussing all options but for the time being, we are only leaving the working group on the Electoral Code, said SDSM leader Venko Filipche on Tuesday.

Filipche was quizzed by reporters if the party would leave the Parliament altogether, considering ZNAM's claim on the various statements given by SDSM Oliver Spasovski.

"ZNAM is no longer included in any public opinion poll, it is a group of former SDSM members who divided the party out of their own financial benefit, serving as VMRO-DPMNE's pendant," said Filipche.

On the cancellation of the caretaker government, the SDSM leader said the manner in which the new law on government is adopted "crushes democracy in the country".

"The law clearly states that the caretaker government, which was reinstated back in 2018 at the request of Hristijan Mickoski, will be in place until the country's EU accession. Therefore, the question is why are they in a rush? We have continually been saying that the way in which they govern is the same as in Nikola Gruevski's time," said Filipche and accussed the authorities of controlling the judiciary, the media, the economy etc.

According to him, the caretaker government is the only guarantee that the country will hold fair and democratic elections, adding, "we are prepared to use all democratic methods to fight them."

Filipche said that while European Parliament Rapporteur Thomas Waitz says that he sees no serious commitment from the Government to reforms, primarily in the rule of law, Mickoski says the opposite.

"Europe is clearly saying there will be no progress until requirements are met. Instead of accepting this criticism, the PM is again saying he will not move an inch and that minorities - Bulgarians, Croats, Montenegrins - will not be included in the Constitution," said Filipche.

The SDSM leader noted that instead of working on reforms, the authorities are creating conflicts with neighbors, pushing anti-European propaganda and isolating the country, while seeing Montenegro and Albania moving forward.

"Europe is the only way for our society to prosper," underlined Filipche.

Photo: SDSM