The Minister of Defense and former Vice President of SDSM, Radmila Sekerinska told TV Kanal 5 that she does not allow her shadow to affect Sanja Lukarevska’s work and that no one should replace her in SDSM.

Sanja Lukarevska should be a good vice-president of SDSM, in a way that suits her profile, knowledge and experience. I wish her well and I do not allow my shadow to affect her work. We all have the right to a good start, says Sekerinska.

Commenting on her own decision to leave the party’s positions in the ruling party, she first wanted to announce it to the public, so that everything is clear.

When I look back at the previous 8 years of SDSM, I can see that I had two big goals and we achieved them. We overthrew the regime, and in them in the second term we got NATO membership. My political task in the party is complete, Sekerinska said.

Asked what exactly did she mean when she told her party members that they should not be allowed to be silenced, she said it was always about debating openly and saying painful things first to solve problems.

Maybe the discussion we had at the convention was an introduction to that comment. The main test for any democratic state is democratic parties. The question is whether in the team, in the party and in the country, we will speak openly or we will be silent in an organized way. This country fell when everyone started to be silent, when the journalists started to be afraid… When we talk within the party I ask for loyalty to the team and I give loyalty, she said.

She says that her suggestion is that all the painful topics must be discussed.

We have brought a new time in the country. We will not allow that time from the regime to return. Zaev will never become like Gruevski. Four years ago we secured freedom, and without freedom, there is no justice, Sekerinska said.