It is natural that conservative parties cooperate between themselves, and this lead VMRO-DPMNE to cooperate with the Alliance of Albanians and Alternative, said opposition leader Hristijan Mickoski, who announced the prospect of a major opposition coalition that will almost rival the ruling SDSM-DUI-BESA majority in Parliament. The three opposition parties were brought together by the German conservative Konrad Adenauer Stiftung for a conference in Skopje.

KAS is our strategic partner and in the future we will have mor such events. I think we are building trust, at a seriously high level and I expect to see this confidence grow. I expect it to culminate with a coalition ahead of the municipal elections next year and support for our respective mayoral candidates, Mickoski said during a TV interview on Saturday.

During the conference, KAS head for Macedonia Norbert Bekman Dirkes said that the German foundation will continue to support conservative parties and to enhance their ideological groundings. He added that Balkan countries need to have a clear European perspective – this at a time when Germany is trying to mediate between Macedonia and Bulgaria, which threatens to veto the opening of EU accession talks.

Mickoski said that besides ideological connections and the desire to fight the corruption prevalent in the current Government, the three parties are brought together by their wish to steer Macedonia toward the EU.

We truly believe in Europe and in a better life. This Government had a chance to deliver on this promise, but gave it away. Macedonia can’t be allowed outside of the gates of Europe, Mickoski said during the conference on Friday.