VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickoski met with farmers from Macedonia’s main wine region – the Tikveshia – to discuss the growing problems they face in finding markets and receiving the subsidies promised by the Zoran Zaev Government.

We have a real problem in Tikves. Two wineries are failing to pay the farmers, and the debt amounts to 600.000 EUR each. Government ministers promised them that they will be paid, but we see that in reality it’s otherwise. All they have now are new promises and delays in resolving the problem they face. Another problem is that farmers who had crops freeze on the vine are not receiving the promised damage payments, or receive just 3 percent of what was promised. And finally, new taxes in the form of the accise payments on raki producers, Mickoski said.

He called on the Government to give up on its plans to impose the accise tax on what is an important economic activity in this region. Mickoski said that the largest opposition party will support the farmers if they decide to protest.

All of us see now that all the promises SDSM gave were just a colorful lie in order to snatch power. VMRO-DPMNE will not only support a protest, but we will also guarantee to put a team in place which will take your problems seriously. We demand that early general elections are held as soon as possible, so we can get to work to resolve all the piled up problems left over by this Government, Mickoski said after the meeting.