SDSM: Mickoski seeks an alibi for early elections while advancing a Russian‑Serbian anti‑EU agenda

The Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) accused Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski and his party of seeking an "alibi" to trigger early parliamentary elections while serving what SDSM described as a Russian and Serbian anti‑EU agenda that keeps North Macedonia outside the European Union.

SDSM says it will not legitimise a "staged" vote

SDSM said in an official statement that it will not participate in what it called a "staged performance" and will not provide legitimacy to the prime minister by acting as his alibi. The party argued the government lacks funds in the budget following “corrupt tenders and weekly borrowings that have exceeded all limits,” and warned that the state cannot take on new debt without proper guarantees.

In its statement SDSM directly accused Mickoski of advancing foreign influence: "Now Levica jumps in, the old good Russian satellite in defense of Mickoski. Mickoski is a Russian proxy-player. He works exclusively for personal material gain, but at the same time he fulfills the Russian and Serbian anti‑EU agenda. Only they benefit from Macedonia staying outside the EU, as a buffer zone. This personally suits Mickoski, because with the EU comes the European Public Prosecutor's Office, and then someone will have to answer for crime and corruption."

The party also claimed a coordinated media push is under way, naming the ALO group and the Euronews licence as part of a "heavy Serbian media artillery" on top of outlets linked to Hungarian capital. SDSM pointed to meetings between Ivan Stoilković and Serbia's SNS as evidence of coordination and noted that announced elections in Serbia, declared by Aleksandar Vučić, coincide with the suggested timing here.

SDSM additionally said that controversies over Bulgarian passports among VMRO‑DPMNE ranks will push the campaign to invent an internal opponent among Albanians. The party warned citizens to watch what it described as a scenario staged under Vučić's direction and insisted that citizens deserve truth, not a production.

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski raised the prospect of early elections earlier this week, saying: "If the opposition asks for early parliamentary elections, then we as a government are always prepared to sit at a leaders' meeting, to agree a date and to go to early parliamentary elections." Party reactions were mixed: DUI called on authorities to implement the prime minister's offer immediately if it is serious and said it is ready to go to elections and to dissolve Parliament; Levica said it accepted Mickoski's call and urged like‑minded groups to unite.

Photo: press material from the event