Ljubisa NIKOLOVSKI
“In political parties, there are people who are connected to the Russian services”, says the President of the country. And this is not the first time to hear this from him.
If this is so, it’s high time for President Pendarovski to say who these political parties under Russian influenceare, because Macedonia is at a crossroads, will it continue on the European path or do these forces want to drag it towards the east into Russia’s embrace.
The explanation that “information about the names of those who are connected with the Russian services cannot be shared publically, asthese are sensitive matters” is not acceptable.
If it concerns sensitive matters, as Pendarovski claims, all the more reason why citizens should know who those people are who are spreading anti-European propaganda in the public.
If the security services know this, yet do nothing, they become complicit in the lies that are presented to the citizens.
The fact that we are witnessing a total anti-campaign for the constitutional changes in the public discourse shows that it’s not about marginals.
The continuous public warnings for the so-called hybrid threats are in vain if they don’t gain a clear recognizable character.
The government has an obligation to say that these political forces, which publically declare themselves as pro-Russian, are not the only ones who want to block the European perspective of the Macedonian citizens. But, these also include those who either do nothing or, on the other hand, convince the citizens that we can survive on our own.
They, avoiding to answer the questions about what they will do for Macedonia to continue with the EU dialogue, are consciously clearing the space for entry of Russian influence into the geo-strategic interest of the country.
The attitude of some political subjects distancing the country from all the international allies we have acquired or are yet to acquire is truly strange. This implies the conclusion that their replacement is being sought and a new ally.
On the Macedonian political scene, Levica is demonstrating an open anti-NATO and anti-European ideological matrix. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that the EU is also not an option for Mickoski and the entire current leadership of VMRO-DPMNE. Unfortunately, ideologically they are merging with Levica.
Then perhaps it’s time for us to take more seriously the messages that US Senator Chris Murphy sent us in that not adopting the constitutional changes would be a concerning step in the relations between North Macedonia and the United States and that the United States has to know which way the country is going. Whether we are going left or right.
This means that for them, diverting from the European integration is a security issue and that is how they will probably act towards us – defensively.
Is this what Macedonia needs!
I really thought that this “dilemma” of whether you are for Russia or for America was a long-closed question, but obviously someone seems to be paid to open it.
And this is every time Macedonia faces a historic decision.
Ljubisa Nikolovski
Ljubisa Nikolovski is a longtime journalist. He began his career at MTV, and then built his professional experience at A1 TV, at the “Den” newspaper, then at Radio Slobodna Makedonija, TV Nova and Sloboden Pecat. He works as a correspondent for the German state television ARD.
