NEWS OF THE DAY: Parliament unanimously adopts Law on ratification of the North Atlantic Treaty

The Parliament of the Republic of North Macedonia with 114 votes “in favor”, adopted the Law on Ratification of the North Atlantic Treaty. The Law will come into force once Spain ratifies the Accession Protocol for our NATO membership.

Previously, President of the Parliament Talat Xhaferi in his speech highlighted that our path to NATO, viewed through the prism of the past three decades, was not at all easy and was intertwined with many turbulent moments. He congratulated the approaching NATO membership, underlining the commitment that governments, parliaments, but also citizens have made over the years with their continual support for NATO membership.

President Pendarovski said that joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is not simply joining an international organization. NATO is an alliance of states that is based on mutual political and defence solidarity and on common values. Membership of the world’s most powerful military-political alliance is a privilege, but also a huge responsibility.

Technical Prime Minister Oliver Spasovski at the formal session on the occasion of the ratification of the NATO accession protocol for our country noted that after 27 years since the first decision for NATO membership was made in the Assembly, these MPs have the honour on behalf of all their predecessors in parliament and of all citizens to ratify this document, which is an investment to a secure future for our country.

A flag of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was raised in front of the Parliament of the Republic of North Macedonia following the formal session.

NATO expects North Macedonia to be a member of the Alliance by spring. This was stated today by US Representative to NATO, Bailey Hutchison in a briefing in Brussels.

She noted that the Protocol has still not been ratified in Spain, which just recently received a new government.

– I think that by the summer the flag of North Macedonia will be next to the other 29 fags. We will be happy to greet North Macedonia this spring, she stated in a briefing. With the adoption of the draft Law on ratification of the North Atlantic Treaty, a formal

Parliament session and a symbolic raising of the NATO flag in front of the Parliament building, the Macedonian path to full NATO membership is completing, which has lasted for almost 28 years.

The last stage of this long path was when Zoran Zaev received the invitation for NATO membership at the NATO Summit in Brussels on June 12, 2018.

FLASH: As of today it’s easier to be stupid

XHABIR DERRALA: There is nothing easier than being a scoundrel coated in all colors in every sense of the word, decorated with feathers of a chicken, and to be illiterate…

STAEMENT OF THE DAY: Zaev: With the ratification of the NATO protocol, stability of current and future generations is ensured

“I call on all 120 MPs to be on the level of the responsibility that the historic day brings. To unite on one of the two strategic goals since 1991 since independence and today to support the ratification of the NATO Protocol, it concerns the future of our children”, said the President of SDSM, Zoran Zaev, at a press conference.

According to Zaev, today the most important document since the country’s independence is in front of the MPs. Macedonians, Albanians, Turks, Serbians, Roma, Bosniaks, citizens of our homeland, we are together side by side with the strongest democratic states in the world.

Zoran Zaev receives the invitation for NATO membership at the NATO Summit in Brussels on July 12, 2018

“After long years of isolation and stagnation, we have finally opened the path to NATO membership. NATO is not only safe keeping but also security, NATO is access to investments, new markets and means more money to the citizens. Since the signing of the Prespa Agreement and the signing of the NATO protocol, salaries have increased in all sectors. Minimum wage has increased by 60 percent, the economy for two and a half years has a growth of up to 4 percent. Now it is all up to us. Let’s speed up development, transform society and to make a proficient state”, said Zaev. POLITICALLY OK CORRAL – Discussion on Law on PPO goes to Committee on European Affairs and Legislative Committee

The Government has concluded for the draft Law on Public Prosecutor’s Office with the amendments to be submitted to the Parliament of the Republic of North Macedonia. Unfortunately, minor technical errors regarding precisely the corrections that were harmonized at a Government session have been made in the text that has been submitted, and because of this the submitted text of the draft Law on Public Prosecutor’s Office has been withdrawn. Following the corrections made, the Government has resubmitted it to the Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia, states the Government in the statement.

NOT LESS IMPORTANT

Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Mayo today paid an official visit to the Republic of North Macedonia.

He met with President Pendarovski and highlighted that Italy supports North Macedonia for NATO and EU integration and that the two countries have traditionally friendly relations, with a high degree of understanding and trust, as well as excellent political dialogue.

At the joint press conference with the Head of diplomacy Nikola Dimitrov, replying to a journalist question he stressed that to give a guarantee on the speed at which EU will adopt the new methodology is very ambitious.

Luigi Di Mayo also met with Prime Minister Spasovski, at which meeting the country’s reform achievements were reaffirmed, and was stressed that Italy will continue to actively advocate for our country to start negotiations with the EU.

President of Parliament Talat Xhaferi today met with acting President of NATO Parliamentary Assembly Attila Mesterházy, who along with Secretary General of NATO Parliamentary Assembly Ruxandra Popa were official guests at the formal Parliament session at which the Law on ratification of the North Atlantic Treaty was adopted.

CIVIL ACTIVITIES

CIVIL Panel Discussion: Free Elections as Opposed to Black Propaganda CIVIL is organizing a panel discussion on the topic “Free Election as Opposed to Black Propaganda” on Thursday, February 13, at City Park Hotel (next to the Municipality of Center), starting at 12.00 noon. Panel participants include Slavjanka Petrovska, Deputy Minister of Interior, Marjan Zabrcanec, National Coordinator for Strategic Communications in the Government of the RNM and Jasna Bacovska, University Professor. Xhabir Deralla, President of CIVIL, will be moderating the panel discussion.

CIVIL: Self-will and violence of controllers of Skopje Public Transportation Enterprise has to stop immediately! CIVIL most strongly condemns the unseemly and violent behaviour of controllers of the Skopje Public Transportation Enterprise towards the student Sihran Usein from the Faculty of Law.

We urge the competent institutions to immediately react and to clear this case, and for the perpetrators to be sanctioned accordingly. CIVIL is organizing a panel discussion on the topic “Free Election as Opposed to Black Propaganda” on Thursday, February 13, at City Park Hotel (next to the Municipality of Center), starting at 12.00 noon. Panel participants include Slavjanka Petrovska, Deputy Minister of Interior, Marjan Zabrcanec, National Coordinator for Strategic Communications in the Government of the RNM and Jasna Bacovska, University Professor. Xhabir Deralla, President of CIVIL, will be moderating the panel discussion.

SCAN – political magazine: Technical government for obstruction

The technical government has turned from a systematic solution for providing free elections, to a risk to freedom, risk to holding free, fair and democratic elections

FREE ZONE

“With the necessary compromises on the Prespa Agreement and the new constitution, Macedonia has lifted the integration blockades and has also overthrown the already fallen legal order. A compromise is needed now as well. Ahead of the elections and ahead of the start of negotiations with the European Union. This time on the Law on the Public Prosecutor’s Office. Compromise because of blackmail of politicians here, party, selfish, criminal motives…”, writes Zoran Ivanov in his column „ “Our collective amnesia for their collective amnesty”.

Angela Petrovska

In cooperation with: Dehran Muratov, Маја Ivanovska, Biljana Jordanovska, Diana Tahiri, Vladimir Percuklievski, Zoran Ivanov, Xhabir Deralla

Translation: N.Cvetkovska