Opposition leader Hristijan Mickoski reminded the voters in Skopje’s Centar district of all the outlandish promises Zoran Zaev made in 2016, which remained unfulfilled. From the broad issues such as “justice and rule of law” which turned into all out persecution of political opponents, to specific issues such as building a gas distribution network to reduce the acute problem of winter air pollution.

They promised a gas network to heat the city, said they will have a line to each house, starting with Centar. Two years went by, and not a single line has been laid. What they put in place, they stole afterwards. They promised 5 percent GDP growth, and delivered half that number. They said they will reform the tax system, and they did, increasing taxes by 50 percent. They are now graded 0 by the German Chamber of commerce, Mickoski said.

Still, the VMRO-DPMNE leader said, the big issue is the identity change.

SDSM promised that Macedonia will join NATO and begin EU accession talks without altering our identity. They swore in their Macedonian string, as they said, in their fatherland, grandfatherland, in all dearest to them that they are these skilled politicians and that as soon as “the regime” is brought down Macedonia will be allowed into NATO and open EU accession talks. And finally, they organized a celebration of the NATO membership amid empty squares as nobody came, Mickoski said.

 

Mickoski said that VMRO-DPMNE will have to lift Macedonia up from the ashes, once it brings down the Zaev regime.

The first big step for the people will be the first round of elections on April 21st and the second step will be our victory on May 5th. The third step is holding early general elections and forming a VMRO-DPMNE led Government. Then we begin the real fight for Macedonia, in all the areas, and for all its people. We will lift Macedonia out of the ashes, Mickoski said.