At least three ministers from SDSM sit in wobbly chairs


Three to four SDSM ministers could be included in the spring “purging” of the government, which the prime minister and party leader Zoran Zaev confirmed to his party at a session of the central board held two days ago. Zaev, according to the information, did not disclose what are the cadres that can be reconstructed, nor which departments are considered critical, but only warned officials that their work will be evaluated and that if there are no results and improvements, they can be replaced.

According to party sources estimates, the positions in the cabinet of ministers of finance and culture Dragan Tevdovski and Robert Alagjozovski are wobbly, and the minister without portfolio Robert Popovski is also mentioned. However, such information is currently at the level of speculation, and as a possible candidate, but for the redistribution of another function, the Minister of Labor and Social Policy Mila Carova is mentioned. Reportedly, SDSM leadership has no more remarks on Carovska’s engagement, but her department could be offered to some of the coalition partners in the government, that is, DUI or some of the new parties in the coalition. Another department that might be subject to “exchange” is the Ministry of Education, if an agreement with DUI is reached to give up the Ministry of Justice, where Bilen Saljii has already resigned. Unofficially, if the DUI withdraws from “Justice”, the rotation can place education minister Renata Treneska-Desoska, a university professor of law, in this department and “The Integrators” could choose between her department and “Labor and Social”.

According to estimates, the biggest cut is expected in the third echelon of the government, where it is possible to dismiss at least twenty executives, and it is not excluded that the changes could reach the Secretary General of the Government, Dragi Raskovski. On the other hand, ministers in the sectors responsible for the reforms and the integration process, such as the defense, foreign policy, the Secretariat for European Affairs, and the Ministry of Interior, are surely safe.

Zaev, according to party sources, did not clarify at the session which parties could become new partners in the government, but only indicated that the talks on expanding the parliamentary majority would intensify. From that aspect, for now, there is no confirmation of information in the public that the Socialist Party of Ljubisav Ivanov Dzingo, who was considered the most loyal partner of VMRO-DPMNE, could join the ruling camp. However, unofficial information is that such an opportunity was considered in the closest circle of Zaev’s co-workers, with the advantage being that the SPM has three parliamentary votes. On the other hand, it is problematic that one of the MPs of the SPM, Ljupco Dimovski, is suspected of the events in parliament on 27 April last year. MP from the SPM is also Vladanka Avirovik, who was a person of trust of the previous leadership of VMRO-DPMNE, and the third one is Stojan Milanov from Kratovo.

The enlargement of the parliamentary majority, in fact, has already begun with the co-oppting of MP Cedomir Sazdovski to the SDSM CB, which means his return to the main party, after he entered the parliament as a candidate of GROM in the last elections in 2016, and from the list of the coalition of VMRO-DPMNE. Thus, the parliamentary group of SDSM won the 50th term, and it is not excluded that the second MP of GROM, Panco Minov, will soon join the majority. It is also expected to formalize the cooperation with Amdi Bajram of the Union of Roma, who left the VMRO-DPMNE coalition some time ago, and Jusuf Hasani of the Democratic Party of Turks. There is no exclusion of “transfer” talks in the majority and with other deputies from smaller ethnic communities who are still in opposition. (A.M.M)