SDSM leader Venko Filipce, in his statement at the gathering to mark the anniversary of the killing of Goce Delcev, made a claim that there is no actual denial of the Macedonian national identity on the part of Bulgaria.

We have never heard that someone in Bulgaria denies our identity. The SDSM Governments did nothing that would threaten the future of our country, Filipce said.

SDSM continues to double down on the idea that Macedonia must accept the Bulgarian demands and includes the Bulgarian minority in the Constitution, with no concessions from the Bulgarian side. This even though numerous high ranking Bulgarian officials have laid claims on the Macedonian history or identity and have hinted that there are other additional demands Bulgaria will make before Macedonia possibly joins the EU.