Early elections for new reforms

Aleksandar Nikoloski
Vice President of VMRO-DPMNE

Last Friday, January 11th will be remembered as one of the darkest days in the history of the Macedonian people and the country. On that day, 81 MPs in the Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia, people elected by the citizens to represent them, without the consent of the same people who elected them, voted to change the name of the country and to deflect the Macedonian national identity. Such shame and humiliation has not yet been recorded in the world history! That day will long be a landmark to which and from which the events important for the existence of the Macedonian people will be counted and measured.

Mostly because the MPs have cheated the will of the citizens. First of all, none of those 81 MPs, no matter from which party they come or from which nationality they have, did not promise in the previous elections that they will vote for a change of the constitution in order to change the constitutional name; and second, because the referendum organized on this issue was unsuccessful because the quiet majority of citizens decided to say “no” to the change of the name of Macedonia by staying home. By going contrary to the programme commitments due to which MPs were elected, and contrary to the will of the citizens expressed in a referendum, this composition of the Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia completely lost both its credibility and its legitimacy! It is no longer a representative of the citizens of Macedonia, and least of all the Macedonian people!

This is the main reason why VMRO-DPMNE immediately after this shameful decision of 81 MP demanded early general elections along with the presidential elections. It is quite simple – the people should be given the opportunity this time to loudly say what they think of changing the name of the country, for the quiet majority of last year’s referendum to become a loud majority that will clearly say “no” to the change of the name by changing the government of Zaev, Dimitrov, Sekerinska, Angjusev, and others. Only one, single such statement can give real legitimacy where and how the country should move.

In addition to this, there are other issues that are not less important for the lives of citizens – the economy either stagnates or goes down, there are no new investments, there are no new jobs, pensions are not growing, wages are either not increased or  they are increased so minimally so they cannot even follow inflation, corruption is at a historically highest level, and Macedonia led by Zaev is ranked 107th according to Transparency International’s corruption perception index, crime blooms like never before, murders that never get solved, smuggling and drugs in the streets like never before, complete collapse of healthcare and education are just some of the many reasons why this government should leave as soon as possible.

I would like to add something else to this. Zaev’s government successfully manipulates the public with the support of the international community and it does so in a way that creates an image that the international community will give its blessing to everything, accept everything, and so they skillfully push the story that the presidential election would be won by SDSM in advance in a way that will be allowed to manipulate and blackmail voters, to bribe and fill ballot boxes. Zaev and SDSM know very well and they are aware that the international community will never allow this, not just for SDSM or just in Macedonia, but for any party or country that is, or wants to be part of modern Western civilization of democracies.

But at the same time, they are manipulating with these stories, they release them among the population with two goals – the first, in order to demotivate a large number of people and not go out to vote because they would think that everything has been arranged in advance; and the second, because they will really arrange this in certain environments, expecting citizens not to report election irregularities, and for the institutions not to react to these irregularities. We are aware and know what SDSM and Zaev are prepared to do. They have shown us very well so far, and the “brightest” example is the latest referendum when in certain municipalities it was voted every two seconds.

Also, we are aware that SDSM is building a perception of support from the international community that has nothing to do with reality, but is the best way to prevent and obstruct early general elections. Because with early general elections the government cannot threaten people – you either vote for my presidential candidate or don’t bother showing up for work tomorrow, the government cannot bribe voters or fill up ballot boxes with a technical government during general elections.

These are the main reasons why SDSM, Zaev, Sekerinska, Dimitrov, Angjusev and the rest of them are running away from early general elections! They know very well that they will be defeated, they also know very well that they will not be able to manipulate the presidential election. They know this very well, and therefore run away!

I would like to comment on SDSM’s main explanation why they are against early general elections – supposedly Macedonia will lag behind in the reforms and will not get a date for starting accession negotiations. This is untrue! Unfortunately, Macedonia with its changed name and completely disfigured is far from getting a date for negotiations in June this year, and if I were to bet today, I would bet that Macedonia will not start negotiations with the EU for membership this year. But that’s because the government does not do its job and does not deliver reforms. And it does not deliver reforms, not because it doesn’t have time, or because there are upcoming early elections, but because the government is neither capable, nor has the motive to deliver reforms. Each reform means less room for abuse of power. That’s why they do not deliver reforms! Why don’t they deliver the reforms right now, what stops them? Who stops them from rolling up their sleeves and start working in the key areas pointed out by the EU?

In that direction, possible early general elections will help Macedonia start accession negotiations with the EU, because the government will be changed, a new and capable government led by VMRO-DPMNE will come in power, which will deliver reforms and earn its place in the EU.

All in all, the arguments for early elections are clear and there are many of them, the arguments against are just an attempt to keep this government in power a bit longer. Citizens see and judge this, and will punish it, whether it would be in early or regular general elections.
Last Friday, January 11th will be remembered as one of the darkest days in the history of the Macedonian people and the country. On that day, 81 MPs in the Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia, people elected by the citizens to represent them, without the consent of the same people who elected them, voted to change the name of the country and to deflect the Macedonian national identity. Such shame and humiliation has not yet been recorded in the world history! That day will long be a landmark to which and from which the events important for the existence of the Macedonian people will be counted and measured.

Mostly because the MPs have cheated the will of the citizens. First of all, none of those 81 MPs, no matter from which party they come or from which nationality they have, did not promise in the previous elections that they will vote for a change of the constitution in order to change the constitutional name; and second, because the referendum organized on this issue was unsuccessful because the quiet majority of citizens decided to say “no” to the change of the name of Macedonia by staying home. By going contrary to the programme commitments due to which MPs were elected, and contrary to the will of the citizens expressed in a referendum, this composition of the Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia completely lost both its credibility and its legitimacy! It is no longer a representative of the citizens of Macedonia, and least of all the Macedonian people!

This is the main reason why VMRO-DPMNE immediately after this shameful decision of 81 MP demanded early general elections along with the presidential elections. It is quite simple – the people should be given the opportunity this time to loudly say what they think of changing the name of the country, for the quiet majority of last year’s referendum to become a loud majority that will clearly say “no” to the change of the name by changing the government of Zaev, Dimitrov, Sekerinska, Angjusev, and others. Only one, single such statement can give real legitimacy where and how the country should move.

In addition to this, there are other issues that are not less important for the lives of citizens – the economy either stagnates or goes down, there are no new investments, there are no new jobs, pensions are not growing, wages are either not increased or  they are increased so minimally so they cannot even follow inflation, corruption is at a historically highest level, and Macedonia led by Zaev is ranked 107th according to Transparency International’s corruption perception index, crime blooms like never before, murders that never get solved, smuggling and drugs in the streets like never before, complete collapse of healthcare and education are just some of the many reasons why this government should leave as soon as possible.

I would like to add something else to this. Zaev’s government successfully manipulates the public with the support of the international community and it does so in a way that creates an image that the international community will give its blessing to everything, accept everything, and so they skillfully push the story that the presidential election would be won by SDSM in advance in a way that will be allowed to manipulate and blackmail voters, to bribe and fill ballot boxes. Zaev and SDSM know very well and they are aware that the international community will never allow this, not just for SDSM or just in Macedonia, but for any party or country that is, or wants to be part of modern Western civilization of democracies.

But at the same time, they are manipulating with these stories, they release them among the population with two goals – the first, in order to demotivate a large number of people and not go out to vote because they would think that everything has been arranged in advance; and the second, because they will really arrange this in certain environments, expecting citizens not to report election irregularities, and for the institutions not to react to these irregularities. We are aware and know what SDSM and Zaev are prepared to do. They have shown us very well so far, and the “brightest” example is the latest referendum when in certain municipalities it was voted every two seconds.

Also, we are aware that SDSM is building a perception of support from the international community that has nothing to do with reality, but is the best way to prevent and obstruct early general elections. Because with early general elections the government cannot threaten people – you either vote for my presidential candidate or don’t bother showing up for work tomorrow, the government cannot bribe voters or fill up ballot boxes with a technical government during general elections.

These are the main reasons why SDSM, Zaev, Sekerinska, Dimitrov, Angjusev and the rest of them are running away from early general elections! They know very well that they will be defeated, they also know very well that they will not be able to manipulate the presidential election. They know this very well, and therefore run away!

I would like to comment on SDSM’s main explanation why they are against early general elections – supposedly Macedonia will lag behind in the reforms and will not get a date for starting accession negotiations. This is untrue! Unfortunately, Macedonia with its changed name and completely disfigured is far from getting a date for negotiations in June this year, and if I were to bet today, I would bet that Macedonia will not start negotiations with the EU for membership this year. But that’s because the government does not do its job and does not deliver reforms. And it does not deliver reforms, not because it doesn’t have time, or because there are upcoming early elections, but because the government is neither capable, nor has the motive to deliver reforms. Each reform means less room for abuse of power. That’s why they do not deliver reforms! Why don’t they deliver the reforms right now, what stops them? Who stops them from rolling up their sleeves and start working in the key areas pointed out by the EU?

In that direction, possible early general elections will help Macedonia start accession negotiations with the EU, because the government will be changed, a new and capable government led by VMRO-DPMNE will come in power, which will deliver reforms and earn its place in the EU.

All in all, the arguments for early elections are clear and there are many of them, the arguments against are just an attempt to keep this government in power a bit longer. Citizens see and judge this, and will punish it, whether it would be in early or regular general elections.