Former and current SDSM officials launch platform demanding internal change
Ex-officials say they want to reform SDSM from within and unite the opposition; party president accuses them of being paid by the government.
A group of current and former SDSM officials has announced a new platform aiming to unify the opposition, push for changes inside SDSM and ultimately try to unseat the current government.
At a briefing, former SDSM president Igor Ivanovski said: "We will not become a new political party, we will not create independent lists for parliamentary elections." He argued that widespread public discontent cannot be channelled effectively because there is no energetic, clear and focused opposition.
Member of parliament Slavjanka Petrovska warned that divisions within SDSM benefit the ruling party. She declined to say how loyal her colleagues in the parliamentary group are to party leadership, but stressed they share concern about the party's state. Petrovska also said she refused an offer to join the party leadership in exchange for silence.
Platform's aims and arguments
Andrej Petrov added that the platform will never call for votes against SDSM, will not boycott elections and will not abstain. Igor Ivanovski summarised the group's stance: "SDSM is now a captured party. Both by statute and by policies. Behind our platform there is not a single businessman who finances us. It is ours and authentic. Fundamentally, we make a distinction between the leadership and the membership of SDSM. And we are SDSM. We will not become a new political party. Our goal is to integrate all reasonable people into a civic, multiethnic platform so that it can be successful and bring changes to this SDSM leadership. We believe that then the opposition front will be in a position to change this government. We need a change of policies."
Former party spokesman and former member of SDSM leadership Emilijan Stankovic sharply criticised party president Venko Filipche, saying that Filipche does not represent the membership and that he took a party membership card before becoming a minister.
The current party leadership replied forcefully. Venko Filipche claimed those seeking internal change are paid by the government. "If these people really have good intentions and if they want to help in this difficult opposition battle — look at the unscrupulous gang we are dealing with, let them join. The party's doors are open to them. They are party members. They cannot claim good intentions and not come through the open door to debate together and combine forces. I regret that we have information that confirms our suspicions that they are paid by the government," Filipche said.
Filipche also accused former party general secretary Nikola Ćurkčiev, another member of the platform, that the company he represented received a tender worth 1.6 million euros from a state-owned firm. Ćurkčiev responded that the document listing him as an authorised representative is a forgery, announced he will file a criminal complaint over the forgery and warned of a defamation procedure.
Photo: press material from the event
