Former Defense Minister and current SDSM MP, Slavjanka Petrovska, officially submitted her candidacy for the SDSM leadership race on Wednesday.

Petrovska, who has been a member of the Social Democratic Party for 24 years, responded to the call for self-nomination by submitting her application.

“Alongside the application, I also submitted a social democratic manifesto, which outlines my program and the future priorities for the new SDSM leadership following the devastating defeat in this year’s election,” Petrovska told reporters.

Reflecting on the party’s past, she noted that while SDSM has experienced both defeats and victories, the current political circumstances in the country make this situation unique.

When asked by a MIA reporter about her strategies to unite the SDSM membership, Petrovska stated that if elected leader, she would prioritize frequent inter-party debates, which had been neglected.

“The party officials, who were responsible for significant state duties, focused on meeting the government agenda and making important state decisions, resulting in party debates being sidelined. The party bodies must meet frequently, whether in government or opposition,” Petrovska emphasized.

She also mentioned receiving support from several former party officials but chose not to disclose their names, stating that she didn’t want to “mishandle” their identities.