Speaking at the conference held in honor of the 29th anniversary of the founding of VMRO-DPMNE, party leader Hristiajn Mickoski pledged the renewal of Macedonia after, what he said, is a string of defeats and trading away of vital Macedonian national interests.

After all the storms, all the troubles and sneak attacks of the past 29 years, Macedonia is still alive. It pours out from our hearts and is not smoldering, but roaring, and VMRO remains the guardian of this country, Mickoski told the large group of party supporters gathered in the Macedonian Philharmonic Hall.

Mickoski reminded the audience of the founding of VMRO in Solun in 1893, and the renewal in the shape of a modern political party led by Dragan Bogdanovski.

The founders all suffered, but never gave up. They left us with the obligation to fulfill their work, to protect our honor, our freedom and the humanity, and the European values, Mickoski said.

According to Mickoski, Macedonia can’t go on the way it is begin run now, under the Zaev regime, and a process of renewal is inevitable.

We need to bring back what was destroyed and to re-establish the values and the principles worth fighting for. We must. The Ilinden generation did it. The partisans did it. Each new generation has its own struggle and the come is coming when we will right what was wronged, Mickoski said.

The VMRO leader also appealed for wisdom and asked that the necessary steps are not misplaced due to poor timing. He reiterated that VMRO supports the opening of EU accession talks, among other things because it is necessary to rein in the excesses of the Zaev regime.

We aim to defeat Zoran Zaev and DUI and to form a Government which will work hard and will bring Macedonia into the family of European peoples. From the inside we will fight and we will persuade our friends and allies in the uniqueness of Macedonia and in the values of the centuries old Macedonian struggle for a sovereign and independent country, for the Republic of Macedonia. Let’s add the Macedonian sun as the next start at the flag of united Europe and we will protect the Macedonian cause and the Macedonian state from the inside. This is how I see our future and our future fight for Macedonian statehood, Mickoski added.

The SDSM led Government is propped up due to an alliance with several ethnic Albanian parties, paid for with concessions on major national issues. Mickoski said that a future VMRO led coalition with the Albanian parties will be driven by pragmatism, not national romanticism.

All agreements we make will be based on the fight for better living standards. We will operate on principles and values. The country is tired of romanticism and the traps it brings, Mickoski said.