English
Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski today responded to British media speculations that the UK Government is in talks to build migrant camps in Macedonia. The Prime Minister strongly denied these claims, saying that this was never raised as an issue.
While I am Prime Minister, not a single tent with illegal migrants will not be put up, and we will not admit a single migrant. With indignation I reject these speculations that we are planning some kind of camps for illegal migrants. The issue of failed asylum seekers was never raised, and if it is raised, it will be rejected on our part. We discussed joint efforts to fight against illegal migration, Prime Minister Mickoski said.
The Daily Mail and several Labour Party officials discussed this speculation in the public. The UK, which is facing a growing migrant crisis that is sinking the fortunes of the Labour party, is courting Balkan countries to accept migrants, but has so far been rejected by all countries – except for Kosovo.
The SDSM party tried to seize on the media speculation in the UK – its leader Venko Filipce today announced an online petition against bringing migrants, who he accused of rapes, other crimes and spreading diseases. Prime Minister Mickoski said that he is surprised by this U-turn on the part of SDSM, and reminded the public that VMRO-DPMNE has held firm on this issue for a long time, as Macedonia was the country that stopped the 2015-2016 European migrant crisis by closing its border with Greece. Meanwhile SDSM was supportive of more open borders.
