VMRO-DPMNE: SDSM’s claims about Mickoski’s US visit are “rumors” — meetings with senior American officials are a fact

North Macedonia’s ruling party VMRO-DPMNE responded today to opposition SDSM’s claims about Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski’s agenda during his visit to the United States, calling the Social Democrats’ statements “rumors.” According to the ruling party, the Macedonian prime minister’s meetings with senior officials of the US administration are a fact and cannot be questioned.

The controversy erupted after SDSM claimed that Mickoski’s meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was in fact an “informal hallway chat” that the opposition says is being presented as a high-level official meeting. The Social Democrats argue that a meeting of such rank takes place in an office, with an official agenda and minutes — not in a hallway, without a tie and with hands in pockets.

Prime Minister Mickoski, for his part, has described the meeting with Rubio as confirmation of the strategic partnership between North Macedonia and the United States, and a continuation of the political dialogue between the two countries.

In response to the opposition’s doubts, VMRO-DPMNE announced it will make public an official meeting with US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau. The party gave no further details, but said the disclosure of the meeting would follow during the day.

SDSM also criticized the visit’s declared main outcome: a $5 million US grant for the development of the antimony mine at Krstov Dol in Kriva Palanka, questioning the real weight of the achievement.

Source: 360stepeni.mk