Cocaine in polarized Macedonia

Aleksandar Nikoloski
Vice President of VMRO-DPMNE

The title of this column, my dear readers, determines the two topics of which I’m about to write. The title itself speaks volumes about today’s reality in Macedonia. I am aware that this will encounter denial from the government as soon as it comes out, ignoring or explaining that I am exaggerating or it is simply not true, but for what I am writing about, I would like you to take a look around and draw your own conclusions.

I would like to use the scandal with MP Pavle Bogoevski only as an occasion to open a much bigger topic than any of my previously written. It’s quite simple – in Macedonia, according to what we hear and see, drugs have never been more widespread, more accessible, mostly because there are a lot of them at a very low price! It is killing our nation. Our children, first of all! Like never before, drugs, mostly cocaine, can be found in middle schools, universities, student dormitories, and, of course, in everything that represents the city’s nightlife. It can be found on the streets, there are drugs in every corner around you. This does not require a separate analysis or knowledge. Anyone who went out in the evening or has had contact with the younger generation can see it for themselves, unfortunately. To make this problem even bigger, dealers who sell drugs have almost no fear, and they do it in plain sight. If in the past they were hiding, now they are selling it publicly. Because no one persecutes, nor arrests them!

Let’s be clear about one thing, drugs have always existed in Macedonia, as they have everywhere else in the world, but not as much as now. If in the past, the “most courageous thing” that pupils or students could do was to get drunk – for which they received punishments when they got home, now it has gone a few unhealthy steps ahead and they start off with cocaine, and their parents are unable to punish them for it, because when they do notice that their child is using, it is probably already too late. There is a whole system of alternative marketing that you are unable to see in the media, but it exists among young people in which cocaine is presented as something that is not that harmful and that it does not cause addiction, nor causes any complications. Of course, all of this is incorrect, but it is presented that way. I write on this topic because I am very worried about the direction we are moving in as a society and as a country, if drugs kill our young generations. The fundamental question here is what exactly is Zaev’s government doing, or not doing, to fight against it? With the exception of the Ministry of Interior’s last activity, there are almost no other activities. And the problem is so great, drugs are so widespread that such action should be carried out in every medium-sized city in the country, and literally every weekend in Skopje. At the same time, what we need is a strong educational campaign that would start in primary schools, and continue throughout secondary and universities. This campaign should also be included in the media as well as the places where young people go out. The campaign must be powerful and clear. We had such campaigns in the past. Unfortunately, now there aren’t any. When I was in high school, almost anyone that would even think of using drugs was considered heretic and was facing rejection by the society. And that was good because clearly all harmful consequences were known and no one dared to try them. I don’t see this now! We have also not heard for years that at any border crossing there was a seizure of a major drug shipment. The question arises – how does the government allow border crossings to be so porous. I repeat, the problem is so great that it leads to epidemic proportions. If anyone in the Government thinks that I’m exaggerating or that I am saying this as a politician from the opposition who wants to gain political points, I suggest that they take a look around, or go to any night club, and all will be made clear. If you used to see most of the people at the club’s bar, now most people are lining up before the toilets. It’s not a coincidence!

Through the failure to strongly and decisively fight illegal trafficking of drugs, the entire incompetence of Zaev and the government that he leads has been exposed. There is no capacity, human or staff potential that can deal with this, or maybe he does not want it! Because it is logical to pose the question if someone in government is part of an illegal drug trafficking business when there is so much of it, and the government does not do anything to fight against it. Let’s say that I threw down the gauntlet, and now the government will try to deny me with its activities.

On this topic, I would like to follow with yet another one – the division of polarization in society primarily in the Macedonian national core. Division which is at the same level of danger as the mass presence of drugs in the Macedonian streets. We witnessed this through the latest example of the Eurovision song contest. Tamara Todevska deserves congratulations because she gave a great performance and achieved great success. Therefore, she was unjustly involved in discussions that are in no way related to the song, nor the success she achieved. The latest event showed us something quite different – that imposed solutions do not take root! That the vast majority of the Macedonian people feels strongly frustrated by the change of the country’s name and at no cost wants to accept it, even if it is about success in art form in which the country performs under the new name imposed by the government. These days, Zaev, Dimitrov and the rest of them can clearly see what kind of evil they have caused and how their solution is unsustainable. But instead of accepting the situation and admitting to the people that they have done something wrong, they push their supporters to defend this new name and their capitulation. Although they know that it cannot be defended. By doing so, they additionally divide the Macedonian nation by polarizing the great majority that is against the name change, and a small minority who obeys Zaev’s, and Dimitrov’s party orders. This polarization is primarily shameful, but even more catastrophic for the future of the Macedonian people. Just as harmful as cocaine!

The cure is a well-known, red card for this government and its replacement as soon as possible. There are always solutions to the problems. Unfortunately, currently there is no capacity, nor will, for solving them.