Zaev for BHTV: Snap election will grant us a two-third majority

If the opposition makes attempts to obstruct Macedonia’s future within the EU and NATO for personal calculations, the ruling coalition will be forced to call for snap elections, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev says in his first interview after the referendum with  BHTV1.

“We shall do our best to ensure the necessary parliamentary majority for the constitutional amendments. However, if the opposition is trying to obstruct the future of Macedonia for personal interests the elections are inevitable,’ Zaev says, voicing belief that the process will grant him a two-third majority as ’80 percent of citizens support the country’s European future.’

I am certain that the opposition also favors the country’s accession to the EU, but the political calculations makes it to do what it has been doing.

‘Even the opposition leader, who boycotted the referendum, will say ‘yes’ to EU, NATO if you ask him and I believe it to be true. But he wishes for his party to return to power and with such aspiration he jeopardizes the future of our country, Zaev says.

Macedonia’s future is at stake and everybody bears grand responsibility for this matter, which ‘is above me, above the opposition leader, above political parties.’

Asked if the referendum question was the reason for low turnout, Zaev says: ‘We are all for the EU and NATO, being also aware that there could be no EU and NATO without the agreement with Greece.’

‘The agreement with Greece was reached for Macedonia to be able to keep on the road to the EU, NATO membership. Greece wished for its northern region bearing the name Macedonia to be differentiated from our Republic of Macedonia; and we have found a just, fair solution, which recognizes the Macedonian identity and language,’ he says.

Commenting the turnout, Zaev says it was close to 50%, as there are about 1,3 million eligible voters in Macedonia, considering the number of citizens that live and work abroad.