Three months after early parliamentary elections were held, which after December 11 were to put an end to the political crisis and open a new page in the democratic future of the country, and Macedonia continues to sink. President Gjorge Ivanov stands firmly on the position that conditions have not been fulfilled for him to give the mandate to the new parliamentary majority with 67 seats: SDSM – 49, DUI – 10, Besa – 5 and the Alliance for Albanians – 3 seats. The state further remains to be captive of the pressures of VMRO-DPMNE, which won 21 seats (possibly, plus the 2 of DPA), while its membership and supporters are urging citizens every day to take part in protests that are being held in many cities around the country.
Under the slogan “For a Joint Macedonia”, they are demanding from the leader of SDSM, Zoran Zaev, to reject what they call the “Tirana Platform”, for there to be no changing of the Constitution, the flag, anthem and the money, for there to be no bilingualism, and for a minority government to be formed with VMRO-DPMNE, until new elections are carried out.
Parliamentary majority announces negotiations for the election of the President of the Assembly
SDSM leader Zoran Zaev, with strong support from the leadership and party membership, at the party headquarters promoted the future program of the new government before the public. He was decisive that in the new program there is no room for constitutional changes, he said that there would neither be bilingual money, nor changing of the state symbols, nor would there be bilingual party uniforms. It is just that, according to the Constitution, in areas where more than 20 percent of the population is of another nationality, the citizens will be able to use their native language in the state institutions.
However, despite Zaev’s categorical appearance, who in his exposé denied all claims of the pro-government media about the dividing of the state, introducing cantons and compromising the national interests, the protests of the civil association “For a Joint Macedonia” –continue. Immediately after the exposé, VMRO-DPMNE called on Zaev to reject the so-called Tirana Platform.
Besa announced that the program that was presented by SDSM is a framework that needs to be further improved in order for it to be comprehensive also for the issues that concern the Albanians. In this phase, they say, they will refrain from comments on the details of the program presented by SDSM, because the granting of the mandate to SDSM has still not been unblocked. But, once the mandate is granted, they will present their remarks and suggestions, so as to reach an inclusive program of the next government.
Spokesman Bujar Osmani states that DUI does not agree that bilingual money and uniforms are unconstitutional, but on the contrary, according to the party, they are completely within the framework of the Constitution, as are bilingual passports that are used throughout the entire territory of Macedonia for years.
Political games in Macedonian judiciary continue
The Special Prosecutor’s Office demanded detention for the owner of TV Nova, Sead Kocan, first suspect in the case “Trust”. The SPO informed the public that they have not been officially informed of such a decision of the Criminal Court. Following the SPO’s official address, they were informed by the Criminal Council that a decision had been made in regards to the SPO’s appeal, but that it would be additionally submitted. In the meanwhile, the Ministry of Interior issued an international warrant for Kocan.
The defense submitted an appeal to the decision, whereas the Court of Appeal say that they have not received such a case?! Kocan’s lawyer, Nikola Dodevski, stated in the media that it is irrelevant where Sead Kocan is and when he will come back, as he finds the decision of the Criminal Council to be unlawful.
“He is a free man and can perform all of his work obligations”, considers Kocan’s defender.
Former Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski along with the 13 other accused, did not appear at the scheduled hearing for the case “Violence in the Municipality of Center”. Without requesting explanation from the defense, because the accused did not show up in Court, Judge Tatjana Mihajlova expressly, in ten minutes, postponed the hearing. She sent the case to the Court of Appeals, for it to decide on the SPO’s appeals. The defense considers that there are no conditions for the hearing to be held, and that is why none of the accused had come to court.
According to Gruevski’s lawyer, Nikola Dodevski, “until the Council decides, there are no conditions for the start of the process”.
Pro-democratic public continues to be the target
The protests are becoming the center of attacks on journalists from media with a critical approach. Following the attack on the news team of the portal A1 On, the news team of TV 24 has also been attacked, while verbal threats are also being directed towards journalists and cameramen from all other media that are not “close” to VMRO-DPMNE. The Association of Journalists of Macedonia, the Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services and the Ethics Council reacted to such behavior by the participants in the protests in organization of the initiative “For a Joint Macedonia”. In addition to the MOI clearing up the cases, they are also demanding that conditions be immediately enabled for the work of journalist crews.
CIVIL – Center for Freedom indicated that the latest attack on the journalists is not an isolated case, but violence as part of the image of the protests from the very beginning.
“Journalists who are doing their jobs of informing the public on the events are getting beaten up. This is unacceptable and it has to stop immediately!”, demanded CIVIL.
On the other hand, the Financial Police is currently going through the documents of 13 civil society organizations, from which documents relating to grants from the Agency for International Development – USAID have been taken away. From George Soros’s Foundation Open Society Macedonia, they have stated that there is increased pressure on the NGO sector, as inspectors of the Public Revenue Office have entered into around 20 civil society organizations since December.
International community calls on Ivanov to grant the mandate
Presently there is strong diplomatic attack directed towards the President of the state, Gjorge Ivanov, in order to “encourage” him, within the framework of the Constitution, to grant the mandate to the parliamentary majority. The calls of the international community are – for Ivanov to urgently revise his decision.
Even though the chief of European diplomacy Federica Mogherini, following her tour of the Balkans, openly and clearly said: “Do not play with fire!”, Ivanov remains on his position that the conditions have not changed and that there are obstacles for him to grant the mandate to Zoran Zaev.
Моnika Taleska
