VMRO-DPMNE called out SDSM leader Venko Filipce to explain a number of false statements he and his party made, as well as the recent demeaning comments from an SDSM official against historic VMRO leader Goce Delcev.

There are no apologies after these untruths, in fact, they are being repeated, said VMRO spokesman Valentin Manasievski.
Rubin Zemon, who was recently promoted into the SDSM Central Committee, was speaking at a podcast known for supporting the Bulgarian historic narrative, and said that Goce Delcev has been made into a myth and that he “has not written anything of value nor won any battle”. Zemon, who is not ethnic Macedonian, was criticized for the statement that comes as Bulgaria demands concessions on national identity issues from the Macedonians, and SDSM broadly supports these demands.

Manasievski added that SDSM needs to account for a number of party positions that have proven to be false – these include their claim that Macedonia is not implementing the reforms required for EU membership, which was denied by the EU rapporteur Thomas Waitz. This also includes claims about the IPARD funds awarded by the EU, whose payment was recently resumed.