by: XHABIR DERALLA

And while the world is slowly starting to prepare for what is called the “new normality”, we are already prepared for the old abnormality – elections!

Certainly, for some politicians and their political parties that abnormality was never disrupted. They, enjoying in their fat budgets, with citizens’ money, and of course also with the black money from abroad, have not stopped with the campaign, a kind of campaign led the only way they know how – black. The elections result this summer will show how much that campaign is a shot in the knee, and how much effective for the voters.

This summer? What do you mean this summer? So the hints in the media and the rumours in the dirty electronic joints Facebook and Tweeter are true?

Imagine, yes. There are several reasons for this.

According to the epidemiologists, we could have a new peak of the pandemic already in fall, probably in October or November. And that would mean stricter measures for social distancing, closing of institutions, stores, traffic restrictions, self-isolation…

In the meanwhile, the situation with the coronavirus will start to normalize towards mid-May – the state of emergency will be cancelled, we will become “normal in a new way”.

In the second half of June, the situation with the coronavirus in our country will be completely under control. There, this is the time to hold parliamentary elections for this year. The sooner, the better. Certainly, in coordination with the epidemiologists.

So, elections in June… Early, of course. With all the features of the good old abnormality.

The State Election Commission has already said that the election process has stopped at 24 days before election day, therefore we can expect for the party leaders to agree on the date these days. After Talat Xhaferi, with the support of VMRO-DPMNE, refused to reactivate the Parliament from known reasons (Who does not want reactivating of the Parliament and why), now we’re left only with the old abnormal practice of agreement between the leaders on essential national issues.

At the moment, no one dares to speak specifically about the date for the elections. Whoever mentions elections now, will immediately face disreputation by the opposing side, so all statements on this topic resemble one another. In any case, VMRO-DPMNE in no way wants elections, at least not until it repairs the severe damage from the failure of its black propaganda during the most difficult days of the pandemic. After all, even back in October last year, when Zoran Zaev called for snap elections, they did everything they could to postpone them. The same can be expected now as well.

For elections, the choice is quite limited – either the end of June or next year, when maybe the situation with the coronavirus will normalize again. There is no other solution.

“Electronization” of the election process is possible. There are resources for this. There are online platforms and software for electronic voting. With serious professional control, the election process can easily be moved to the virtual world. Of course, there is always the risk of “breaking” the electronic ballot boxes with cyber-attacks and hacking, but that can also be prevented. So, it’s not a question as to whether we have the capacity to hold electronic parliamentary elections (certainly yes), but rather is there a legal framework for this. Such a “tectonic” electoral reform demands a functioning parliament, public and professional debate, a process…

So, elections in June, with as much as possible greater social distance between voters, but in a traditional way.

The countdown may begin. In the new normality, with the old abnormality. Good luck to us!