VMRO-DPMNE: Filipche serves foreign agendas, SDSM statements written by Serbian PR team

VMRO-DPMNE has accused Health Minister Venko Filipche and the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) of promoting foreign agendas through their PR operation, saying a Serbian public relations team writes the party's statements.

In a statement released by the ruling party, VMRO-DPMNE named Zoran Bashanovic as head of the SDSM PR team and said he and Miljan Scekic are the principal authors of the party's press releases and briefings.

Party statement and quoted allegations

VMRO-DPMNE said the SDSM PR service is spreading what it called the "Serbian world" inside Macedonian public life. The party translated its criticism into a direct attack on the language and tone of SDSM communications. "That this is the case can be seen from the numerous statements full of insults against us and against the state, with black scenarios for its development and progress, full of Serbianisms and typographical errors, because Bashanović and Sčekić, who write them, do not master the Macedonian language well. In other words that which we hear from Filipche and SDSM when they insult Macedonia, when they predict and wish for apocalyptic scenarios, when they oppose investments and the development of the country, all of that is directed by the Serbian or, alternatively, the Bulgarian world, which they serve," the party said.

VMRO-DPMNE added that the policies ordered by SDSM run directly counter to Macedonian national and state interests and accused former prime minister Zoran Zaev and Filipche of working for foreign agendas out of fear of facing responsibility for alleged crimes.

"One is an amnestied criminal with a title deed, the other has cases which their paid people in the judiciary keep in a drawer. Therefore, instead of engaging and working in the interest of the state, by working for foreign services, they work to the detriment of citizens' interests and subjugate the state," VMRO-DPMNE wrote.

The party's statement followed an SDSM call asking the Public Prosecutor's Office to immediately take measures in relation to the Alta Bank processes in North Macedonia, after information that the National Bank of Serbia revoked the licence of Alta Bank Serbia, its majority shareholder. SDSM also demanded criminal proceedings against Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski and National Bank Governor Trajko Slaveski in connection with Alta Bank.

Photo: press material from the event