Venko Filipche attacks Platform 12:05; platform answers with accusations of "manipulations"
After a meeting convened by Platform 12:05 — attended by Levica — Filipche accused participants of serving VMRO‑DPMNE; the platform rejected the charges on Facebook.
Venko Filipche publicly named several members of his own party whom he says are trying to break the unity of SDSM, accusing them from the party podium of being part of a scheme and demanding they explain their “principled” positions after yesterday’s meeting convened by Platform 12:05, which was also attended by representatives of Levica.
Tensions after the 12:05 meeting
Filipche called the participants “satellites” of the ruling VMRO-DPMNE and reminded them of privileges they had received during SDSM’s time in government, privileges he says they now turn their back on. His criticisms were delivered at a press event that drew a reduced leadership presence and a crowd he described as supportive.
The 12:05 platform answered within hours via a Facebook post. Their message opened: "We understand today's nervousness, but we will not stay silent about such manipulations."
In the same post the platform disputed Filipche’s reach inside SDSM: "With all the pressure on members, at his press conference he gathered half the leadership and a hundred people in the audience. That is less than one percent of the votes he allegedly won in the party elections."
The platform also hit back at personal accusations: it named individuals in Filipche’s Central Board and pointed to ideological differences with Levica, while insisting on a common goal. As the post put it, "we have many differences with Levica on various issues, but we agree on one thing: the 'tit-for-tat' tandem Mickoski - Filipche must be defeated."
VMRO-DPMNE also weighed in, telling Filipche that the current state of SDSM is his responsibility and questioning how he could make statesmanlike decisions if he cannot control his own membership. The exchange follows a public wave of reactions after the Platform 12:05 meeting, which brought together former and current SDSM members and invited figures including Amar Mecinovic and a representative of the Serbian party.
Photo: press material from the event
