DEHRAN MURATOV
Ahead of the second round of local elections in North Macedonia, there has been a noticeable intensification of nationalist rhetoric in some of the campaigns of several political entities. Calls for “ethnic unification” and “voting for one’s own people” have been present from both Macedonian and Albanian candidates, creating tensions in sensitive multiethnic environments.
The most prominent case was the candidate for mayor of Brvenica from VLEN, Hakim Ramadani, who initially called on Albanians to vote unitedly, but later withdrew his statement, saying that “honor and dignity are more important than office” and that he had been misinterpreted.
His remarks also caused reactions from the leader of VMRO-DPMNE, Hristijan Mickoski, who condemned the call for ethnic-based voting and announced consequences within the coalition and that after the elections he would demand his dismissal from the position he currently holds as director of the State Inspectorate for Local Self-Government.
Mickoski also said that in politics one must have a goal and strategy, and VMRO-DPMNE, on the path to achieving its goals, had asked for nothing but respect for the sacrifices it had made for others, but it did not receive that and VMRO-DPMNE will not forget that.
“Sometimes, while pursuing our strategic goals, we bled as VMRO-DPMNE and made a sacrifice. It wasn’t easy, it was very difficult for me when I saw our party members from Tetovo, Gostivar, Struga, Cair, Debar, and for that we paid a price, and for that there is a sacrifice. And we are not asking for anything, we are not asking for anything in return, because we have a goal, we are asking for respect for the sacrifice we made for another, we did not receive it, and we will not forget that”, Mickoski emphasized.
At the same time, Bilal Kasami from VLEN and mayor of Tetovo, after saying during a debate that Albanians should support AKI candidate Fatmir Dehari in Kicevo, following public reactions, tried to ease tensions, emphasizing that his views had been misinterpreted and that elections should be guided by values, not by ethnic affiliation.
The propaganda kitchens didn’t fail to highlight the ethnic affiliation of Lindita Jovanovski, the wife of candidate Aleksandar Jovanovski (VMRO-DPMNE). Two days before the second round, Lindita Jovanovski appeared with an emotional, propagandistic and populist video in Albanian, calling for a vote for “a city father for all — regardless of nationality, religion, or gender.”
Reactions also came from the War Veterans Association of Tetovo, who strongly condemned, as they say, the “Greater Albanian statements” made by some candidates and asked the institutions to respond.
In addition to individuals from the Albanian bloc, Levica also ran a campaign with messages that in western Macedonia people should vote for a “Macedonian,” especially in municipalities where VMRO-DPMNE did not have its own candidates.
“Levica is not leaving the MACEDONIANS in Western Macedonia in the lurch,” said the party’s leader, Dimitar Apasiev.
“Well, the man in this picture — the brave police officer Uncle Tose, who fought the terrorists with a baton — is one of the founders of Levica and is now on our list for members of the Tetovo Municipal Council!
Therefore, don’t believe the vmro-ist businessman Micika, who has given up on Western Macedonia and is forcing you to vote for the neo-Ballist Bilal Kasami — the biggest anti-Macedonian in the Balkans and beyond!” said Levica leader Dimitar Apasiev.
However, this approach backfired — their candidate for mayor of Skopje, Amar Mecinovic, who is from the Bosniak community, became the target of insults and nationalist comments by internet activists close to his opponent from VMRO-DPMNE.
“People of Skopje, vote for the Bosnian mujahideen Amar, he’ll turn on the mosques to the LOUDest”, reads one of the comments on social media.
“You have blood on your hands DPMNE, Government, Ministry of Interior, FFM, all of you who allow this. This is the third case in one month. In Stip, then the players from Kumanovo, then Aerodrom. Two are in the emergency room. YOU HAVE BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS!” reads one comment on social media.
The election race in the second round is strongly colored by ethnic and identity-based messages, overshadowing the focus on real local problems. Such rhetoric points to intensification of ethnic divisions and the use of national sentiments as a tool to mobilize voters in the second round.
Nationalist rhetoric not only violates the democratic spirit of elections, but also takes society steps back into the old ethnic trenches — instead of in the direction of common development and trust.
CIVIL MEDIA | This analysis was prepared with the support of the CIVIL Hybrid Threats Monitoring Team – CHTM)
Translated by N. Cvetkovska