site.btaIn Parliamentary Resolution, VMRO-DPMNE Condemns Opposition Manipulations and Affirms Anti-Illegal Migration Policies

VMRO-DPMNE submitted to the Parliament of North Macedonia a draft resolution to condemn the manipulations of the opposition and affirm policies against illegal migration, with which the ruling party claims to put an end to “the manipulations by SDSM regarding migrants and the organized, opposition-coordinated campaign that spreads insecurity and panic among citizens.”

“The false scenarios presented by SDSM are failing. The state has a clear policy against illegal migration, there are no migrant camps, and this resolution brings stability and security. VMRO-DPMNE publicly condemns the policies and decisions of the former government of Zoran Zaev, which created opportunities for establishing migrant camps contrary to national and state interests,” the resolution states.

In the nine points of the resolution proposed by the ruling party, disinformation regarding the alleged acceptance of migrants and the building of camps is condemned, it is confirmed that such policies do not exist and will not be implemented, and a call is made “for responsible and clear communication, protection of security, stability, and interethnic relations.” The document states that the deliberate dissemination of disinformation will be sanctioned in accordance with the law.

VMRO-DPMNE’s resolution proposal comes days after the opposition party also submitted a proposal to Parliament in which deputies would vote to affirm that no migrants will be accepted.

“With the counter-resolution, VMRO-DPMNE confirmed what SDSM has been saying for days—that there is an agreement ‘migrants for money’ […] The counter-resolution contains not a single clear provision prohibiting the transfer of migrants from the United Kingdom in exchange for money. There is wordplay; migrants are hidden behind terms like ‘workers’ or ‘illegal migrants,’” said SDSM spokesperson Bogdanka Kuzeska, who argued that in this way the ruling party avoided signing the SDSM resolution.

The issue of a potential acceptance of migrants from the United Kingdom has been a leading topic in North Macedonia for the past two weeks, following reports in British media that the country would accept migrants who had been denied asylum in the UK. According to the Times, and as reprinted in other media, the UK would pay North Macedonia for each migrant it accepts.