NEWS OF THE DAY
Opposition caught hindering in key moments before final decision on the start of the negotiations
FRONTLINE.МК learns that eminent VMRO-DPMNE officials, by using their personal contacts in sister parties, are lobbying for France’s position to be accepted, for the decision on setting a date for negotiations to be postponed for June 2020. In their lobbying against their own country, they have been criticizing the reforms being implemented in Macedonia, outlining also arguments against the reforms they supported themselves and for which they voted for in Parliament, and ones they stalled.
Great Britain and Italy ratify Protocol for North Macedonia’s NATO membership
The national parliaments of Italy and Great Britain today ratified the Protocol for NATO membership of the Republic of North Macedonia.
Minister of Defense Radmila Sekerinska announced the information on the social networks.
There are 4 more countries left to ratify the Protocol in order for the RN Macedonia to become an equal member of NATO.
Zaev in Brussels to meet with Hahn, in Skopje with Sasoli and Tusk
Prime Minister Zoran Zaev today and tomorrow will pay a working visit to the institutions of the European Union in Brussels. Prime Minister Zaev, together with Deputy Prime Minister in charge of European Affairs, Bujar Osmani, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikola Dimitrov, this afternoon will meet with EU Commissioner for European Neighborhood and Enlargement Policy Johannes Hahn.
– For the Republic of North Macedonia there is no alternative to EU and NATO integration. We have used our time in the “waiting room” and today we are prepared both politically and institutionally for the start of the negotiations for EU membership. We understand France, but we consider that the enlargement process can go in parallel with the debate on the new methodology for EU membership, highlighted Prime Minister Zoran Zaev.
– We expect for the EU to return to its original principles and to show greater concern and attention for the enlargement processes in order for the force of attraction of EU membership to be validated, and in order to eliminate the interest of third parties in the region. We believe in the idea of the EU and will remain dedicated on that path”, stressed Zaev at the debate on the topic “North Macedonia: European perspectives and strengthening the national reforms for social equality”, which was held in organization of the Karl Renner Institute and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Vienna.
Dimitrov in Brussels meeting with MEPs: Hope that European leaders will reach a consensus
Complete understanding of our expectations and European aspirations and expressed hope that the European leaders will, nonetheless, succeed to reach a consensus on the deserved decision for the start of the negotiations with North Macedonia were expressed at the meetings that Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Dimitrov had today in Brussels with several MEPs.
Dimitrov today had separate meetings with German MEP from EPP, Michael Gahler, Dutch MEP from SD, Kati Piri and Dubravka Shuica, Croatian MEP from EPP.
FLASH NEWS
– Minister of Defense Radmila Sekerinska, today called on all institutions dealing with elections, to vote according to the laws and in a principal manner, commenting on the released “bomb” in which her voice is heard while she is talking with a member of the State Election Commission about his “deciding vote” in the elections.
– Civil society organizations from the Control Arms coalition, led by Amnesty International and IANSA, of which ЦИВИЛ has been a member since 2002, demand from EU national governments to stop supplying arms to Turkey.
– Меdusa is organizing the first School of Feminist Writing and Criticism, which will have 10 trainings held over 5 months, starting from November 16.
The school has the aim to prepare participants for informed writing and successful use of social media and other digital tools for placing contents in the area of feminism and women’s rights.
– After several citizens from the Municipality of Karpos complained to CIVIL Media that for more than a month now they have not been given social numbers for assisted care, the editorial office of CIVIL Media contacted the Inter-Municipal Center for Social Works in Karpos.
The Inter-Municipal Center for Social Works informed CIVIL Media they have been trying to solve the problem for the third week in a row.
“The team of the operator came again today and promised that the problem would be solved by the end of the week. It hasn’t been an entire month, rather three weeks, though this really is a long period, but the problem is not up to us, but to the operator”, they say from the Center for Social Works in Karpos.
– The trial for the violence that took place in front of the Municipality of Center in June 2013 today started all over again, because of the expiration of 90 days since the last hearing.
The case is being led by Judge Dushko Josifovski, while Fatime Fetai is representing the case.
Prosecutor Fetai, at the beginning of today’s hearing, given that, as she said, the procedure has been lasting for more than three years, requested that the defendant Nikola Gruevski, who has fled the country and has not been in the country for a longer time, stands trial in absentia.
CIVILIAN ACTIVITIES
CIVIL’s call for the second regional seminar on transparent and responsible political processes lasts until tomorrow
Following the first successful workshop “Civic Lenses: Citizens participate, observe and report” that was held in Stip, CIVIL is announcing the second regional seminar, which will be held on October 19 (Saturday) in the City Library “Borka Taleski” in Prilep.
Citizens from the following municipalities in the Pelagonija planning region may apply to participate: Bitola, Demir Hisar, Krivogastani, Krusevo, Mogila, Prilep, Resen, Novaci and Dolneni.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Due to the great interest for participation in the seminar, if you are interested to take part, in addition to signing up through the event posted on Facebook, you also need to fill out the APPLICATION FORM FOR PARTICIPATION. The deadline for applying for the second regional seminar ends tomorrow, October 17 (Thursday) at 5.00 pm.
OPINION
Who’s the traitor here, damn it!
Burst: XHABIR DERALLA
VMRO-DPMNE officials are not sparing themselves in the fight against receiving a date for
negotiations with the EU. The failure of North Macedonia in this process will be an argument
for early elections, in hopes that they will return to power, and that their boss will “heroically”
take back his keys from the expensive Mercedes, and not ride in the trunk of a cheap car. And
for us never to become Europe.
Some are still acting as if they’re not from here
From a corner: ZORAN IVANOV
Yesterday’s shadow news is: Senior government official resigns due to charges of bribery. So it is possible. But not for all top echelons of power. Some still act as if they’re not from here.
Musa and Remenski, two senior state officials with charges of bribery. Two examples of two identical situations. But also two different political characters. The first one with signals of European scruples, while the other with confirmation of Balkan values…
Dehran Muratov in cooperation with: Diana Tahiri, Xhabir Deralla, Маја Ivanovska, Angela Petrovska, Biljana Jordanovska
Translation: Natasa Cvetkovska
