The political constellation in Macedonia is complex and utterly serious, whereas the security situation is delicate. There is no solution in sight!  Protests under the slogan “For a Joint Macedonia” continue, with participants that are confirmed members of VMRO-DPMNE, but also citizens- supporters of their policies. Withdrawal of the so-called Tirana Platform is their basic demand. Last week VMRO-DPMNE also adopted a Manifest, with which it declaratively puts an accent on democracy, preserving the unity of the state, political stability, economic growth…SDSM is continuously announcing “the arrival of a new reform government”, which will restore democracy, the rule of law, consolidation of the health care system, education…

Marathon constitutive session of Parliament

Today the sixth continuation was held of the constitutive session of the Macedonian Parliament. The debate on electing a president, deputy president, members and deputies of the Commission on Elections and Appointments further remains on the agenda. For the first item of the agenda, 51 MP’s have registered for discussion. Procedural notes and mutual outwitting on who has done more for the country and the citizens are the main reasons why this session has become so long.

While MPs from VMRO-DPMNE demand rejection of the so-called Tirana Platform or announcing new parliamentary elections, along with the local elections, SDSM are decisive in that members of the commission do need to be elected. After that, they demand that a president of the Assembly be elected, and a Program of the future government be voted on.

VMRO-DPMNE Manifest, an unsuccessful attempt for returning Gruevski?

In times of mass protests of citizens against the so-called Tirana Platform, who clearly are supported by members and supporters of VMRO-DPMNE, this party has adopted a Manifest for national unification on issues that are of common interest for the citizens. VMRO-DPMNE is offering a majority election system or bonus 20 MP’s to the winner at the parliamentary elections. The party believes that political stability will be achieved in this way.

Reminding that this is 2017 and not 1903, SDSM accuses that the leadership of VMRO-DPMNE is composed of criminals who want to save themselves: “Saviors of the country are the citizens who chose changes. That is why the so-called Manifest of VMRO-DPMNE is nothing else but an unsuccessful attempt for returning defactorized Gruevski back to the political life”.

SDSM demands an immediate and peaceful transfer of power. Analysts in some national media have assessed the VMRO-DPMNE manifest as a “hypocritical tactic and manipulative strategy that does not offer a way out of the crisis”.

DUI considering to withdraw all its ministers from the Government

Assertions that DUI will withdraw all its ministers from the technical government has sparked reactions among parliamentary parties and in the public as well. According to experts, there is a risk that Macedonia could face a legal vacuum from which it will be difficult to come out of.

The parties of the parliamentary majority consider that DUI’s withdrawal from the technical government, especially in the ministries where there are no deputy ministers, such as the MOI, will cause serious problems. On the one hand, there is no one that can conclude the resignations in the Parliament. And the fact that the new Parliament speaker has still not been elected represents an obstacle for electing a new government.

According to Besa, this is a cheap trick of DUI, which does not unblock the work of the Parliament, but rather further complicates the political situation. The Alliance for Albanians believe that it is hypocritical and unprincipled for DUI to be supporting Zaev in forming a new government, on the one hand, and on the other, to be sharing the government with VMRO-DPMNE.

VMRO-DPMNE asks DUI to better explain their decisions. SDSM have refrained from commenting the new steps, announced from Mala Recica.

The party “Dostoinstvo” (Dignity) requested that the ministers of VMRO-DPMNE give their resignations, instead of being in a coalition with those, who according to them, are threatening Macedonia.

Deepening crisis, citizens pushed to the margins

Following all the details of the relevant political parties in Macedonia, the visits, new steps of the international community – with the purpose of solving the political crisis as soon as possible, have become something usual for almost all of the citizens. Unfortunately, in this constellation, the real life of the citizens has been pushed to the margins. Around 200 workers of the “Lear” factory, opened in TIDZ3 Tetovo as a foreign investment, have been poisoned with staphylococcus, according to preliminary information from the Food and Veterinary Agency.

About 250 other workers from the “Zona Triko” factory from Vinica are demanding at a protest payment of eight unpaid salaries from last year, after having received on their transaction accounts a net salary of 1 Denar, and for four months only!

A large number of residents, victims of the floods (August 6, 2016) in the Skopje village of Stajkovci are reacting and complaining that the government advance payment is not enough for recovering the damage and re-adapting their homes.

However, for the Minister of Labor and Social Policy, Ibrahim Ibrahimi, there is no reason why some residents should still be accommodated, when the weather conditions allow for them to return to their own homes.

Who will cut the “Gordian knot” for Macedonia?

Every step of the political parties, especially of VMRO-DPMNE and its leader Nikola Gruevski, and of SDSM and its leader Zoran Zaev, is under the scrutiny of the international community. Many decisive messages have arrived from there that President Gjorge Ivanov should give the mandate to Zoran Zaev, after he won the trust of 67 MP’s, a parliamentary majority in the new parliamentary composition that counts 120 MPs.

Today European Council President Donald Tusk and President Ivanov held a tete-a-tete meeting, on a clear topic – immediate resolution of the Macedonian crisis.

However, even after this meeting the dilemma remains on who will cut the “Gordian knot” for Macedonia?

Моnika Taleska