With the collapse of the judiciary, under the weight of a major corruption and abuse of office scandal in the most sensitive judicial institutions, Macedonia is having its case for opening EU accession talks rapidly deteriorate, just as the October European Council draws closer.

VMRO-DPMNE President Hristijan Mickoski said that he will send a letter to all sister parties in the European People’s Party, to ask that Macedonian citizens are not punished, despite the scandal caused by the Government.

As leader of the opposition, I will write to the European People’s Party and to all our sister parties, to ask them not to punish the citizens of the Republic of Macedonia. The citizens deserve a European perspective. No politician, be that Zoran Zaev or Hristijan Mickoski, can privatize the EU enlargement process. We saw that our politicians are up to their necks in crime, but the enlargement is not their private party. It is a process which will guarantee the European future for all our citizens, and for the generations to come, Mickoski said in an interview with the Fokus magazine.

The enlargement portfolio in the Commission is about to be given to a candidate from the Hungarian Fides party, which has an exceptionally close relationship with VMRO. Mickoski was asked if VMRO is closer to the Orban wing of the EPP, or to the more centrist, Merkel wing.

VMRO-DPMNE is part of the EPP and we absolutely share the same values with all its members and all sister parties. Yes, personal ties are maybe closer with some parties, geography also plays a role here, but we all absolutely share the same values. The EPP decided that Fides remains as a member, and not just a member but a strong pillar in the European People’s Party. Prime Minister Orban is a friend of VMRO and of the Republic of Macedonia, always has been and always will be, Mickoski replied.