Members of the European Parliament Ivo Vajgl (ALDE, SI), Richard Howitt (S&D, UK) and Eduard Kukan (EPP, SK), EP mediators for the 15 July 2015 Przino Agreement, stress their deep concern over developments in Skopje and call on the main political parties to work together in the interests of the people of the country and return to their commitment to all provisions of the Przino Agreement as the only way to overcome the crisis.
Mr Howitt, Mr Kukan and Mr Vajgl issued the following statement today:
“We are deeply concerned by recent developments in Skopje and we cannot stress enough the importance that the main political parties remain committed to the Przino Agreement. The Agreement must be fully respected, including all provisions related to protecting and strengthening the Rule of Law in the country and ensuring that credible early parliamentary elections can take place.
We believe that President Ivanov’s declaration of a general pardon to everyone suspected of involvement in the wire-tap scandal can only undermine the rule of law and increase the feeling of impunity among those under investigation by prosecution and the Special Prosecutor. We are further concerned that these new developments pose an additional grave risk to the stability of the country and to its desired Euro-Atlantic integration and European perspective.
We remain fully engaged and open to discussing with the political leaders, ways for reversing these recent serious set-backs and to ensuring the Przino Agreement is fully implemented for the benefit of the country and, above all, the Macedonian people.”
MEPs Ivo Vajgl, Richard Howitt and Eduard Kukan were appointed by the EP Conference of Presidents (President of the European parliament and leaders of the political groups) in July 2015 to mediate, together with the EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn, in the talks between political forces in Skopje.