ALDE MEP, Ivo Vajgl (DeSUS, Slovenia), European Parliament’s rapporteur on Macedonia, has today criticised the decision taken by the leading opposition party not to take part in early elections, saying it endangers stability and the European future of the state: “The decision of the leading Macedonian opposition party SDSM (Social-Democratic Union of Macedonia) not to participate in early parliamentary elections on the 5th of June could represent a serious blow not only to democratic process in the country, but to its stability and its European future as a whole.”
“The accusations of irregularities, lack of transparency and delays in the implementation of the provisions of the Przino agreement should by all means be taken into serious consideration. Nevertheless, there is still enough time to implement some of the important reforms and measures, in order to meet the requests of all participants in the electoral process and lead the country to a more advanced state of modern democracy.”
“The European Commission and the European Parliament, together with US representatives, have invested a great deal of effort to make sure upcoming elections give the country a chance for a new start on the path towards Euro-Atlantic integration. This chance could now be missed due to the lack of willingness, responsibility and readiness to reach compromises in the interest of the country.”
The European Parliament last month adopted a progress report for 2015 on Macedonia, by showing strong support for the country’s European aspirations.