The Party of European Socialists (PES) congratulates Venko Filipce, the newly elected leader of its associate member party in North Macedonia, SDSM (Social Democratic Union of Macedonia). Mr Filipche, who is an esteemed neurosurgeon and former health minister, receives the position from Dimitar Kovachevski.
PES President Stefan Löfven said:
”I am looking forward to our cooperation with Venko Filipce and the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia. Our member party did the impossible to accelerate the EU accession process for North Macedonia, especially in its last two government mandates. We will continue our full support for North Macedonia’s swift membership of the EU.”
PES Secretary General Giacomo Filibeck said:
“I would like to thank Dimitar Kovachevski, the outgoing leader of SDSM, for his devotion to the European values and to the progressive ideas. It was the social democrats in North Macedonia who brought the country this close to EU membership. Now, with the conservatives in power, the EU advancement of the country might be jeopardised. I am looking forward to our cooperation with Venko Filipce and SDSM, who can count on us.”
North Macedonia’s European membership became possible after the progressive governments of both North Macedonia under Zoran Zaev and Greece under Alexis Tsipras made decisive steps towards the Balkan country’s European future.
