There is no reason to return a model that has previously been cast aside, because it was a bad one. The State Election Commission was previously occupied only by party soldiers, and later was reformed, again unsuccessfully, because those who were party representatives pursued only the party’s agenda, while the independent experts didn’t turn out to be so independent after all. At the same time, we saw flagrant, inadmissible violation of the right to vote. In the previous two election cycles, the SEC was an institution which, instead of defending the voting rights, it actually violated the voting rights. Starting with everything that was happening with the Voters Register, and ending with the complaints and all the other problems that accompanyied this highest state body for implementation of the elections.
What is alarming is that again we see political talks between party leaders, instead of the esential needs for harmonizing the practices with the constitutional and legal provisions to be taken into consideration. Areas where legal provisions violate the Constitution and the necessary standards for free elections in a free and democratic country, simply need to be changed. At this moment, again we are seeing talks between political leaders. But what does Mickoski have to say about the elections? We are seeing an attempt to please a leader of a party that for 11 years kept violating the Constitution and the laws, that carried out irregular elections, election thefts, structural violence, corruption…It’s absurd! The Prime Minister is pleasing precisely this party leader and is giving him concessions that are, simply, unacceptable!
We can see solutions that are in sight, but which simply have no connection with what we are expecting as a public, as a society, for providing free elections – truly free elections. So, we have a situation where the State Election Commission shows that it is susceptible to politicization, corruption and abuse of public money, inclined to spending money for travel expenses that are enough to go to the moon and back, the voting right is violated, whereas the entire election process is endangered. Yet, these issues are being solved in a conversation between two leaders. This cannot be a good solution.
There are talks about a solution with which the SEC is to be appointed with representatives of political parties six months before the election process. This is entirely unacceptable, because it is a policy of being put in a position with no option. What if this solution proves to be unsuccessful? You won’t be able to change anything, because this cannot be done six months prior to elections. and again we will have a situation in which the public, the voters and the citizens will be left without an option, in the hands of the party soldiers. No one guarantees us that they won’t be obeying their party leaderships, that they won’t be carrying out policies that are contrary to the interests of the citizens, contrary to the smaller communities, smaller political parties and smaller initiatives. And again we have a situation where the election process, even at this moment with such discussions, is being seriously questioned.
The SEC needs to be professionalized, whereas the parties should leave the State Election Commission. Currently, there are extraordinary professionals in the expert services, who can lead this body without any problem, who will not allow the interference of political parties. It should be a professional body, with a reduced number of members and with procedures that reduce the chances of corruption. It
should be a body that will be dealing with the word of the law, with the constitutional right of the citizens, the right to vote. Nothing more!
We have to understand and remember that the state is obliged to provide maximum conditions for free voting. That is the role of the State Election Commission, and not to be a club of overly paid party soldiers. Thank you very much, goodbye!
