Venko Filipche in Prilep: The government robs and isolates us — our task is to return the state to the people
At an October 11 march marking 85 years since the People's Uprising, the SDSM leader accused the government of looting and urged democratic resistance to corruption.
Venko Filipche, leader of SDSM, accused the ruling authorities of looting and isolating the country and said his party's mission is to restore the state to serve the people. He spoke after a march in Prilep held on October 11 to mark the 85th anniversary of the People's Uprising and the anti‑fascist struggle.
Addressing participants, Filipche framed SDSM as the heir to partisan-era state-building and anti‑fascist values and delivered a direct challenge to the current government. "We, the Social Democratic Union, are the heirs of the state-building policies of our ancestors the partisans, of the value-based policies of the anti‑fascist struggle. And therefore today, when we face a criminal government that robs us, isolates us, we again have a historic role to fight for freedom, for justice and for truth. To show defiance again, to confront injustice, to confront the criminal gang in power and to return the state to the service of the people," he said.
Democratic methods, not violence
Filipche insisted that the modern continuation of the partisan mission must be pursued through democracy and public debate. "That role, that struggle requires courage, perseverance and responsibility. We have the courage, we have determination, and the people are our strength. Our struggle today we lead with democratic means, with the truth, with public speech, in the Assembly and with the voice of the citizens. The struggle for Macedonia today is a struggle for freedom, mutual respect and justice. The struggle for Macedonia today is against corruption and the crime of the robbers in power. The struggle for Macedonia today is a struggle for workers, for a better standard, for teachers, for doctors, for farmers, for young people and pensioners… The struggle for Macedonia, comrades, today is a struggle against its sell‑off, for mines, water, land and data centres. The robbers in power will put everything up for sale, for other people's profits and kickbacks. The struggle for Macedonia is a struggle against the revival of fascism and fascist methods of governance," he said.
Filipche reminded listeners that previous generations fought to secure a state and that today's leaders have a duty to ensure young people remain in the country. "Eighty‑five years ago our ancestors fought so we would have our own state. Our generation must ensure that children stay and live here at home. And that is our historic task," he said, stressing that empty school benches and fewer first‑graders are a serious alarm for the country's future.
He warned that emigration must not become normality and said every young person should have prospects at home. "We do not accept emigration becoming the norm, because isolation is not an option. We do not accept that in the 21st century there is no clean drinking water. We do not accept that the authorities have no answers and no one has responsibility. And above all, we do not accept an entire generation believing there is no place for them in their own homeland. Because patriotism is how people live today and what we will leave to children tomorrow. And that is the measure of successful policy. And therefore today I want to address young people in particular. Those who are 18, 20, 25 years old. Your generation today has another fight. A fight for the future. We are here to lead it for you and with you. Therefore, our next major national task is common. A European future and European opportunities for every young man and woman here in Macedonia," he said.
Filipche closed by locating the present struggle in a long historical line. He invoked Ilinden, ASNOM and independence-era efforts and reminded the crowd that NATO membership was secured in the last decade, calling on current and future generations to continue moving the country toward Europe. "Ilinden fighters fought for freedom and laid the foundations of the struggle. ASNOM cemented statehood. The generation of independence created the sovereign and internationally recognized Republic of Macedonia. The generation of the last ten years secured our NATO membership, and it remains the duty of us and every following generation to continue that historical vertical, to preserve and develop the state and to carry it forward toward Europe," he said.
Photo: press material from the event
