Macedonia's SDSM accuses VMRO of political deflection amid reform delays

The Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) says the VMRO‑DPMNE party is staging artificial scandals to divert attention from the country's economic hardships, blocked European integration route and the release of alleged criminal figures such as Nikola Gruevski and Dragan Pavlović Latase.

SDSM alleges that VMRO‑OKG is focusing on the legal write‑off of old, small debts in the public procurement company JP POC, describing the move as a tactic to evade court costs rather than address genuine reforms. The party also claims VMRO is using disputes over the electoral law to mask its failure to implement agreed reforms, noting that the June deadline for key legislation passed without the needed amendments, leaving the EU‑aligned road‑map stalled.

According to SDSM, the opposition’s actions undermine progress on the reform agenda and keep Macedonia isolated, while ordinary citizens face rising prices, low wages and an uncertain future.