Amar Mecinovik: Levica will widen opposition dialogue after Democratic Platform 12:05

Levica MP and party spokesperson Amar Mecinovik said he accepted an invitation to speak at the Democratic Platform 12:05 because his party sees a need to widen opposition dialogue amid what it calls economic decline and mutual impunity between SDSM and VMRO‑DPMNE.

Asked about the decision after Levica had already named him as their representative for the Platform event, Mecinovik framed the appearance as part of a broader effort to gather different opposition forces rather than join a new political formation.

Levica: build a common language across the opposition

“I believe that for us as Levica the time has come to continue talking with all opposition elements in society, to try to find a common language because we think now is the time to make a break. The focus of today's forum is what has happened to us over the past 35 years. But, as representatives of a new political generation, we are not interested in the next 35 years. We believe that in this country there are reasons to live and reasons to fight for. Our lives should continue here, as should the lives of the generations that come after us. The moment when all of us together as a society decide that the next 35 years must be different, then their different construction can begin. Macedonia is being destroyed day by day and therefore day by day it must be rebuilt,” Mecinovik said.

He added that Levica positions itself as a defender of Macedonian workers, arguing that the right‑wing VMRO‑DPMNE government pursues policies that harm workers and ordinary people. “We as Levica have a responsibility to the citizens, not to SDSM,” he said.

Mecinovik also criticised SDSM’s recent conduct, saying the party appears unwilling to confront the current ruling leadership. “The problem is that this is happening after it has already become clear that SDSM has no intention of fighting the leadership of this government,” he said, citing last year’s local elections — where he claimed Strumica was effectively “gifted” to VMRO‑DPMNE — and the runoff for the City of Skopje as missed opportunities to organise stronger opposition pressure.

Representatives of the Democratic Platform said in a briefing that they do not intend to form a new political party or run independent parliamentary lists. Gordan Georgiev, Andrej Petrov, Slavjanka Petrovska, Igor Ivanovski, Nikola Kurkchiev and Emilijan Stankovic were named as participants who view the platform as a starting point for uniting opposition forces against the current government.

The announcement has already triggered accusations from SDSM that members of the platform are being promoted by media outlets sympathetic to Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski. Party figures including Venko Filipche have warned that the platform’s activities amount to an attempt to seize party structures.

“Levica will continue to talk with various opposition and independent social actors, without abandoning its political and ideological positions, with the aim of opening space for an organized and substantive political response to the current government,” Mecinovik said, summarising his party’s next steps.

Photo: press material from the event