After a long search, SDSM found a candidate willing to lose in the presidential elections, said VMRO-DPMNE President Hristijan Mickoski in the opening remarks of his televised debate with SDSM head Dimitar Kovacevski. Mickoski was referring to President Stevo Pendarovski, who is trying for re-election against the VMRO-DPMNE candidate Gordana Siljanovska – Davkova.

Stevo Pendarovski is prepared to lose the coming presidential elections and to suffer a debacle in the polls. During his term so far, he showed nothing that would justify his re-election. He was prone to gossiping, both about his political opponents and the leadership of the party that nominated him to be President. I think we will quickly make up for the lost time under Pendarovski, in the term of President Gordana Siljanovska – Davkova, said Mickoski.

The polls show Pendarovski and SDSM far behind Siljanovska and VMRO-DPMNE.