SDSM alleges private firm is paying U.S. lobbyists for Mickoski

Bogdanka Kuzeska, spokesperson for the SDSM, has raised allegations of a major scandal involving North Macedonian Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski and private lobbying efforts in the United States.

Citing the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) register, Kuzeska stated that the Skopje-based company ATS Group has engaged the American lobbying firm Mercury Public Affairs. The agreement reportedly involves monthly payments of $130,000, totaling approximately $1.56 million annually. According to the SDSM, the lobbying activities, under the title ‘Strategic Partnership US–North Macedonia’, cover topics such as energy, LNG, IT, and defense.

Kuzeska linked the interests of ATS Group, owned by Shefset Demirovski, to the promotion of government agendas. She further alleged a connection between the company's owner and criminal investigations, noting that Demirovski was previously arrested in Serbia. The opposition party claims that private interests are being used to lobby for state-level agendas, including defense and mining projects, rather than purely diplomatic efforts.