Zaev Claimed: Even if there is no Date for Negotiations, there will be no Early Elections – then Changed his Mind

By Оливера Војновска On Oct 31, 2019 0

Фото: Принтслрин vlada.mk

Following the leadership meeting held at the Vodno Villa, at the initiative of the President of the Republic, Stevo Pendarovski, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, among other issues, made a statement that early parliamentary elections will be held in six months, which we deem inconsistent:

There was a point of discussion about the leadership of the state after the historic mistake by Brussels … The second point was the early parliamentary elections. We suggested 22 or 29 December for holding immediate elections in a time when nothing dramatic could happen and people could express their views. There was a reaction that there was no government for 100 days, and then proposals for 29 March, 12 or 19 April were made. We reached a consensus that elections will be held on 12 April 2020.

[Source: МКД; date: 20. October 2019]

EXPLANATION:

Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, yesterday (20 October 2019) after the meeting of the political leaders with the President of the Republic, said that there will be early parliamentary elections on 12 April next year. This statement by the Prime Minister is inconsistent regarding his position on 15 October 2019, three days before the European Union Summit in Brussels, when he made it clear that “even if there is no date for negotiations, there will be no early elections”.

At a government press conference on 15 October (before his departure for Austria and then for Brussels), the prime minister ruled out any possibility of early elections if, after all, Macedonia does not receive a date.

In conditions in which we are a country that has no alternative for NATO and the EU, politicians are transient and changeable, but the predictability of the economy needs to be left to the end of the mandate. Regularity of elections means regularity of society. Ensuring the predictability of the economy is an important thing, so in my opinion, our country needs regular elections. I believe that the next regular elections will be held in October, said Zaev.

The Prime Minister, during his visit to the industrial zone “Novini” in the village of Rečica in Kumanovo on 12 October (2019), once again assured that the Government did not consider early elections.

First, we are not thinking about early elections because we do not think there will be a negative decision. Second, I think that even if we do not receive a date, we should not hold elections. The period until the regular elections should be used, because it is economically valuable for all the transformation happening, said Zaev.

Despite such assurances, Zaev changed his stance on early elections after the negative decision from last Friday from Brussels for starting accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania. Yesterday afternoon he announced that early parliamentary elections will be held in April (2020), a position we deem inconsistent.

On the other hand, another interesting fact is that the leader of VMRO-DPMNE, Hristijan Mickoski on 17 October 2019, when it was already clear that there will be no date, from the party campaign rally in Gevgelija (“Talks for the Recovery of Macedonia – Problems, Solutions and Program”) announced that the opposition is taking it to the streets and squares. Mickoski then said that they, as a party, have given the process a chance and stated that “October 17 is the day when the concession ends, the day when VMRO-DPMNE’s patience ends” and he calls on “everyone to join in order for the true sun of freedom to rise in Macedonia.”

Starting today, home for the opposition will be the square, the street, the door of our neighbors and our fellow citizens all over Macedonia. We are all the same generation today and we share the same destiny. The last showdown starts today. Today I announce the great victory of VMRO-DPMNE and the coalition “For Better Macedonia”, said Mickoski.

However, yesterday after the meeting with President Pendarovski on which the election date was set, he did not mention the street protests.

SOURCES:

MKD (20 October 2019): Zaev: На 12 април 2020 предвремени избори [Accessed on 21 October 2019]
mk (20 October 2019): Избори и спроведување на домашните задачи за интеграција во ЕУ [Accessed on 21 October 2019]
mk (15 October 2019): Заев: Нема да има предвремени избори [Accessed on 21 October 2019]
MKD (15 October 2019): Заев: Убеден сум дека ќе добиеме датум за преговори со ЕУ, и ако нема, предвремени избори нема да има [Accessed on 21 October 2019]
mk (12 October 2019): Заев: Убеден сум дека ќе добиеме датум за преговори со ЕУ, и ако нема, предвремени избори нема да има[Accessed on 21 October 2019]
mk (17 October 2019): МИЦКОСКИ: Од денеска почнува последната пресметка, трпението заврши! [Accessed on 21 October 2019]
Fokus (17 October 2019): Мицкоски: Заврши трпението на ВМРО-ДПМНЕ, од денеска започнува последната пресметка [Accessed on 21 October 2019]

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