Power in defense – the trust is crumbling


In the past few weeks, even months, the government has been under intense pressure from the opposition (which is completely expected, because it is its job), but also from the democratic public, which is much more painful because its criticism is far more realistic. Just as one fire is out, another one starts burning. The pockets of dissatisfaction are spreading. This is, according to political observers, a kind of culmination – a situation in which the glass is overflowing.
According to them, the ruling set is up against the wall. Meanwhile, it tries to defend itself, to remind the public of certain solid endeavors, but it seems to do this much too late.
The affair with the Secretary General Dragi Rashkovski, the appointment of the controversial Sadula Duraki for the fifth Deputy Prime Minister, somehow got mixed up with the smiles and exotic poses before the courtrooms of the Macedonian businessman Orce Kamchev, for which the hearings are apparently “a day in Las Vegas with Frank Sinatra” , but also with the unbearable arrogance of the asylum seeker Nikola Gruevski, who apparently encouraged by the current situation insolently says: “Don’t let me see the new highway to Stip ruined when I come back”.
Attempts to close “smaller fronts” down every day have weakened the power, analysts say, so the “get up-fall down” phases in communicating with citizens among the top officials are taking place. A typical example of this is the second “bomb” for Rashkovski, after which Prime Minister Zoran Zaev partially backpedalled. The initial decisive “no” now transforms itself into seeing arguments and recordings, and then he would decide if he is going to seek resignation from the Secretary General, who is not even considering resignation.
“I carefully follow the public in all these procedures and I stand on the position that nobody who was given an assignment, the honor and responsibility to perform a public office or to be of service to the citizens, to be a punching bag in a way, Zaev said.
From this perspective, the GRECO recommendation seems quite right – to appoint a person for integrity, previously trained by the Anti-Corruption Commission within 30 days, which will advise the Prime Minister, ministers and other employees to make correct and sound decisions in accordance with laws, morality and ethics, and will avoid a conflict of interest and separate public and private interests in doing so.

According to announcements, if there isn’t yet another postponing this week, Zaev, along with DUI leader Ali Ahmeti, will have to cut a deal about the changes in the second and third echelons, after the bombastic ministerial ‘sweep” did not satisfy the public’s appetites. It was reduced to the dismissal of Finance Minister Dragan Tevdovski, the Deputy Prime Minister for the Framework Agreement Hazbi Lika, Minister of Local Self-Government Sujhel Fazliu and the shift of Sadula Duraku, as well as the new ministers in vacant posts in the ministries of culture and agriculture.
Unofficial information indicates that there will be changes in executive positions in several companies. They mention ESM, MEPSO, the Innovation Fund – as well as companies that were part of the suspicious procurement scandals, the nepotism affair, but also with unsuccessful results. The “sweep” allegedly should include the DUI staff at the Public Procurement Bureau, the Agency for Foreign Investments, “Makedonija Pat”, and “Macedonian Railways”.
However, the announced replacement of executives, according to analysts, will hardly change the current perception of the public for this government.
“This government failed to carry out substantial systemic reforms, here I am primarily referring to the judiciary,” said political analyst Armen Nuhiu.
Corruption cases mercilessly crumble the confidence in the executive power, but the status quo in the judicial system, he considers, is what is most irritating to the citizens.
“The Government’s functioning seems a bit like a “buying time” strategy. It is not possible to continue the same practice of irresponsibility. The frequent scandals in the country are not leading to resignations from officials. Instead, we see how they are tirelessly trying to find ways to stay in their functions. Everyone heard how they illegally communicated with companies when the tender procedure was still ongoing. There must be a change in the behavior and governance of the state as soon as possible, if this government wants, as much as it can, to repair the damages it suffered until the upcoming parliamentary elections next year,” noted Nuhiu.

 VMRO-DPMNE plotting a scandal for the director of intelligence

VMRO-DPMNE yesterday also accused the Administration for Security and Counterintelligence director Erold Musliu, who, according to the opposition, encouraged by President Stevo Pendarovski, is allegedly carrying out a political elimination of the entire operational staff.
According to the opposition’s information, allegedly, a person that used to be hired as a project researcher of the non-governmental organization Nexus, has been appointed as his assistant.
This, in VMRO-DPMNE’s view, is a classic case of conflict of interest.
“Here is a question to Pendarovski: This NGO, founded only two years ago at Musliu’s home address, operated on project activities with SDSM mayors and was promoting Stevo Pendarovski, who then appointed Musliu as Intelligence Agency director. The NGO says it worked on prevention of radicalization and de-radicalization of islamists, with Vasko Shutarov as project manager. Shutarov is now promoted to a top position in Counter-Intelligence Administration by Musliu, VMRO-DPMNE spokesperson Naum Stoilkovski said, adding that this is a conflict of interest that the Agency director appoints as his top assistant a person from the NGO.
The president’s office responded promptly after these serious allegations, demanding that the Anti-corruption Commission investigates the allegations of conflict of interests of Musliu, but also point out political responsibility from publishing eventual unverified and speculative information that could harm the reputation of the security services.
“Regarding the press conference of the political party VMRO-DPMNE, which points to an alleged conflict of interest by the Director of the Administration for Security and Counterintelligence, Erold Musliu, regarding personnel decisions in the Administration – the President’s office calls on the State Commission for Prevention of corruption to immediately check these allegations. We also point to the political responsibility for publishing eventual unverified and speculative information that may undermine the reputation of North Macedonia at a time when NATO member states are still ratifying its NATO accession protocol”, reads the office’s statement.
(NK)