VMRO‑DPMNE accuses Venko Filipche and SDSM of hypocrisy, cites alleged ties to Serbian intelligence

VMRO‑DPMNE attacked SDSM today, calling the party and its leader Venko Filipche hypocritical after SDSM accused the government of spreading Serbian influence. In a party statement, VMRO‑DPMNE pointed to the involvement of a former advisor to ex‑prime minister Zoran Zaev in an espionage case in a neighbouring country as evidence of double standards.

"While they accuse of a 'Serbian world' in Macedonia, an advisor to Zoran Zaev was caught as a collaborator of the BIA, and on the other hand SDSM mayors organize concerts with Vučić's singers. The former advisor to Zaev on local self‑government, Viktor Petrushevski, and a former member of SDSM's high party bodies, is involved in the latest espionage affair in a neighbouring country, where local public figures turned out to be part of the secret Serbian service, for which charges have been filed. Thus, in the same case concerning collaborators of the BIA, the name of Petrushevski appears, the advisor to Venko Filipche's mentor, Zoran Zaev," the party said in its statement.

Concerts and accusations

VMRO‑DPMNE also accused SDSM of practising double standards over cultural events organized by its mayors. The party highlighted announced performances in Kriva Palanka and Makedonska Kamenica, naming Lepa Brena for the Kriva Palanka main square and Aco Pejović for Makedonska Kamenica.

"To make the hypocrisy even greater, Ljupcho Nikolovski Puterot and the mayor of Kriva Palanka will enjoy themselves on the square with a concert by Lepa Brena, who sang for Mladić's army," VMRO‑DPMNE said, stressing that it is not opposed to the artists performing but that it is worth noting that some of them have been labeled "regime" performers by parts of the Serbian opposition and are considered close to President Aleksandar Vučić.

SDSM earlier accused Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski and the current minister for local self‑government, Ivan Stoilkovikj, of executing a hybrid policy guided by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić on the Balkans. The ruling party framed its remarks as a response to those accusations and as part of a broader debate over foreign influence in North Macedonia.

Separately, posts praising the late Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Mladić appeared on social media; Mladić died in The Hague two days ago, the parties noted, prompting sharp reactions from SDSM and others.

Photo: U.S. State Department photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Brianna Green / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)