VMRO-DPMNE’s press center is working at the same pace as previously. Why wouldn’t it, when even the new law on financing of political parties is enabling them and other big parties such convenience at the expensive of the citizens. They have at least ten announcements or texts every day, and up to seven daily during the weekend. I don’t understand how, not even after such “in-depth analyses” that Gruevski announced before he left (formally) the function due to being busy with the SPO, they haven’t thought about changing something in the approach…
Every announcement of theirs is a reminder that they are misspending the money they bargained for with the government, and thus saving the wealth they grabbed during Gruevski’s criminal regime. But, the people have paid so much for them, so I guess they can pay several more millions for their spins.
The point is that VMRO-DPMNE simply has no credibility to criticize anything. Most of their criticism concerns matters that have been inherited from them. We can already end this point and put a big, greasy black period to this conclusion. There’s nothing to be explained, it’s enough just to take a look at everything they have done and everything they haven’t done.
Before we turn our attention to the surprisingly low intensity of real reforms by the current governing coalition (of which a strategic part was a partner in the fallen regime), we have to clear things with our immediate past…And that immediate past just cannot face the defeat and to become the past, but is rather threatening the presence and even more the – future.
VMRO-DPMNE is not a serious party, to put it mildly. The public cannot accept criticism from them, because they are not a real opposition, but a structure kidnapped by a group of people who are under investigation or in court for serious crimes. They use their numerous membership as a shield to protect their personal interests and wealth. Macedonia, actually, does not have a real parliament, but a mix of interests and fights that don’t guarantee much democracy.
You cannot blame someone else for a murder that you have committed. VMRO-DPMNE cannot blame someone else for killing the democracy and human rights, for destroying the media, health care, education, culture (the list is long), in days when we can still feel all the devastating consequences. VMRO-DPMNE has no moral or political right to speak. Nor to say a single word!
But, criticism for the government exists. It is not organized and systematic, but is loud and colorful, just like the Colorful Revolution, like the protests against the police brutality, about Tamara, the high school and student protests, redundant workers, green initiatives…All these, known and unknown heroines and heroes of the the civic resistance, are the real democratic potential of this society. They are the real criticizers of the government, whose efforts, perseverance and courage bring about changes, while the then opposition was divided and on its knees.
Not always well-formulated, sometimes exaggerated and with a rude vocabulary, not enough professionally grounded – but criticism! Expressed through posts on the social media, in columns and blogs, at public appearances or at smaller forums, spontaneous or organized. They are the opposition that has credibility and that will keep this new government awake and under the sharp beam of analysis and criticism. And also the very few media that are, and were before, prepared to offer sacrifices, to talk and publish criticism for even the slightest mistake of the new government.
So, there is not a party that can attribute itself the right to oppositional thought and action. Let’s hope that the democrats among VMRO-DPMNE will soon give us a reason joy, that we have an opposition. As it things have started, this cannot be expected soon, but every day that has been lost is a descent lower for this party, and thus further backwardness of democracy. In the meanwhile, the citizens are controllers and criticizers. And good ones!
Translated by: Natasha Cvetkovska
