SDSM: Media close to Hristijan Mickoski sponsor "ZNAM 2.0"

SDSM accused media outlets and commentators it says are linked to VMRO‑DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickoski of financially supporting a new group of current and former SDSM officials that has organized under the label "ZNAM 2.0".

At a Thursday briefing Bogdana Kuzevska, SDSM spokesperson and member of the party's Executive Board, said the initiative is backed in the media by a network she described as connected to foreign and domestic political actors. "They have revealed all their cards. Orbán's and Vučić's media in Macedonia. So‑called independent analysts like VMRO's Jove Kekenovski. Collaborators of the BIA. Gero, Ivona, Latas on social media. SNS bots. Troll farms run through an Israeli company. That is why ministers from ZNAM 1.0 publicly give them support. ZNAM 1.0 publicly supporting ZNAM 2.0. All together against the only bastion of freedom — SDSM. All together against Filipche, who every day fights this gang, on the ground, with the citizens, with people who barely make ends meet," Kuzevska said.

Claims, documents and a scheduled meeting

SDSM displayed copies of online articles that reported on the platform's activities and accused the platform's founders of benefitting from public tenders. Kuzevska said citizens now have the claims "in black and white" and named amounts: "Tenders for the founders of the Platform 'for the future of Mickoski'. 1.6 million euros. Less than Geta. More than their honour. It will not pass. The time of distraction is over. The lies. The smear campaigns. Dubai and Haris Dzinovic. A time of truth and justice is coming. Everyone will be held accountable. We will return power to the hands of the citizens," she said.

Representatives of the democratic platform — Gordan Georgiev, Andrej Petrov, Slavjanka Petrovska, Igor Ivanovski, Nikola Kurkchiev and Emilijan Stankovic — insisted at a separate briefing on Thursday that they are not forming a new political party and will not submit independent lists for parliamentary elections. They said their aim is to begin talks to unite the opposition front and defeat the current government. A new round of those talks was scheduled for today at 12:05.

SDSM leader Venko Filipche reacted sharply, accusing the platform's backers of attempting a coup within the party. "The people behind the platform want to seize SDSM in a coup, but they will not succeed," Filipche said.

VMRO‑DPMNE responded that, from their perspective, there is no better option than Filipche leading SDSM — a comment underlining the internal tensions between party factions and the wider opposition strategy.

Photo: press material from the event