In her first full length TV interview since receiving the VMRO-DPMNE presidential nomination, professor Gordana Siljanovska assured conservative supporters asking her about her previous association with the George Soros run foundation in Macedonia, and said that she will be reality driven on the name issue, but will point out to all violations of international law.
Speaking with Sitel TV, Siljanovska was asked how will she communicate with international actors given her criticism of the Prespa treaty under which the current left wing Government is attempting to rename Macedonia into North Macedonia.

I said that I will respect reality. I will certainly not pick up a sledgehammer and break like Tsar Dusan on the bridge (reference to an attempt to break Tsar’s statue by Albanian nationalists) or remove signs or throw away the seals. Of course, every chance I get, at home and abroad, I will point out to the violations of international law and the Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia, Siljanovska said.

She did not reveal whether, if elected, she will swear by a new version of the Constitution with the name “Republic of North Macedonia” in it. Incumbent President Gjorge Ivanov, who has rejected the name change and endorses Siljanovska, continues to use the name Republic of Macedonia in his official capacity. Siljanovska said that the details will be revealed when she is elected, and reminded the viewers that “the current Prime Minister and Government Ministers swore on the Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia, and promised not to change the name of the country, but still had no problem to do so”.

A frequent point of criticism from the right towards Siljanovska is her former association with SDSM, which appointed her as Minister in the early 1990ies and her more recent participation in the Colored Revolution protests in 2015, which SDSM used to bring down the VMRO-DPMNE Government as part of a broader plan to rename and redefine the country. Some on the right refer to Siljanovska as the Soros candidate, given that she used an email address through an internet system provided by the Soros foundation in Macedonia, and had books published by the leftist activist organization which was heavily involved in the Colored Revolution protests.

Siljanovska said that she can’t give estimates on the influence Soros’ organization has on the democratic society, and acknowledged that the billionaire gave a small loan to Macedonia when it faced a Greek imposed oil embargo in the early 1990ies.

I also know what President Gligorov told me – that when Mr. Soros revealed ambitions to politically influence Macedonia, Gligorov asked him not to do so, Siljanovska added.