The party crossfire over Bulgaria flared up again - this time with a direct question demanding a direct answer. VMRO-DPMNE, through its spokesman Valentin Manasievski, asked SDS leader Venko Filipche whether he is part of the Bulgarian missions in Skopje that Bulgarian diplomacy has spoken about.

„Instead of calling for concessions, Filipche could stand on Macedonia's side," Manasievski said, accusing the opposition leader of being coordinated with Sofia over constitutional amendments, the name issue, and historical figures like Goce Delchev. According to him, dodging the answer would in itself confirm the claims of cooperation with Bulgarian interests.

This is the same tune Macedonia's political scene has been hearing for years - each side accusing the other of selling the country to some neighbouring capital. VMRO says SDS takes its orders from Sofia; SDS hits back that VMRO plays spite politics for domestic gain. And the citizen, caught between the two, wonders when the parties will stop accusing each other of treason and start talking about wages, prices, and the future.

Manasievski's question may be legitimate, it may be a political trick - but in the absence of an answer, all that's left is another round of mutual accusations. And while the parties compete over who loves Macedonia more, the topics that actually touch people stay where they always end up: on hold.