Manasievski urges Filipche to publish polls that allegedly show SDSM rise and VMRO-DPMNE drop

VMRO-DPMNE spokesperson Valentin Manasievski demanded that Venko Filipche make public the opinion polls he has repeatedly mentioned, saying the party should show proof that SDSM’s rating is rising while VMRO-DPMNE’s is falling.

Manasievski contrasts promised polls with Brvenica election result

At a press conference, Manasievski accused Filipche of hiding the surveys and questioned whether they were carried out inside the SDSM campaign offices. He contrasted the promised surveys with the actual local vote in Brvenica, where, he said, SDSM was defeated four to one by VMRO-DPMNE.

Manasievski said: "We ask Filipche, where are those polls of his in which SDSM has a large increase in rating and VMRO-DPMNE a drop? Why doesn't he show them to the public? Why is he hiding them? Were those polls conducted in the SDSM headquarters? While Filipche promised polls, in the real world, SDSM was trounced by VMRO-DPMNE in the Brvenica elections four to one, Filipche's support in SDSM is at an enviable level, everyone who comes asks him to resign, but we as VMRO-DPMNE give him full support. VMRO-DPMNE and party leader Hristijan Mickoski have the greatest support from citizens, and SDSM slowly but surely, with Filipche, is becoming a marginal party. The difference between the parties is four to one, and party leader Mickoski has a seven to one advantage over Filipche,"

He added that, in his view, Filipche is avoiding new elections because the polls supposedly show that SDSM would suffer a debacle.

Manasievski framed the demand as a call for transparency: if surveys exist showing a surge for SDSM, they should be published so voters and political opponents can assess them, he said.

Photo: press material from the event