Macedonian conservative opposition leader Hristijan Mickoski met with the President of the European People’s Party Joseph Daul, to discuss the political persecution of opposition officials and activists in Macedonia, and the growing crime and corruption problem.

World institutions are adding Macedonia to the lists of countries who produce Government protected corruption. The latest Transparency International report puts Macedonia among the worst ranked countries in Europe. We face a worsening economic situation, and are now near last in GDP growth on the continent. This endangers our European perspective, Mickoski said during the meeting.

The VMRO-DPMNE leader is in Brussels for a series of meetings at the EPP assembly. Following the meeting, Mickoski said that he and Daul agreed that VMRO will deepen its cooperation with the EPP.

Macedonia must move forward, but we must also establish principles and values, we must re-establish trust in the system, put an end to the political pressures and commit to unconditional rule of law, Mickoski said.

He also met with EPP Vice President and top official in the upcoming European elections Dara Murphy, where Mickoski again reiterated the badly deteriorating situation in Macedonia. His earlier meetings in Brussels included the likely next European Commission President Manfred Weber, the head of the EPP group in the European Parliament David McAllister and other EPP officials.