Liberal Democratic Party urges main parties to return €4m as election reform talks stall

The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) demanded that the country’s main parties return the full amount of state funding—four million euros—accusing them of turning public debate into mutual insults instead of producing policies.

"The LDP asks that the 'main parties' immediately return the money to the citizens, namely all four million euros taken for financing political parties. Citizens cannot make ends meet and yet must set aside from their pockets so that the 'main parties' can use those funds to spread hatred and mutual humiliation. We demand an immediate return of the dignity of politics," the Liberal Democratic Party said.

Funding and stalled electoral-code talks

Party financing has become a hot-button topic amid efforts to open talks on a new Electoral Code. One of the issues to be addressed is exactly how state funds for parties are distributed.

On Wednesday parties met in a session held at Pravda, but SDSM's seats remained empty. Justice Minister Shasivari said he will try personally to contact SDSM leader Filipche to persuade them to attend the next working-group meeting.

Prime Minister Mickoski said he sees a way to unblock the dialogue and urged SDSM, Levica and the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) to come to a meeting with a jointly agreed proposal that the government could accept. He added that "Levica has its own demands, SDSM has not yet defined a clear position, while DUI has a proposal that, according to him, cannot be accepted," without giving details and arguing that closed-door talks should remain confidential.

SDSM is boycotting the working group because it disagrees with the proposed electoral changes, notably the model for diaspora voting, and because of the abolition of the Przhina government without consensus. VMRO-DPMNE says its condition is that diaspora voting be eased starting with the 2029 presidential elections.

Report: Petar Dogov

Photo: press material from the event