Members of the European Parliament and mediators for the Pržino Agreement, Eduard Kukan (EPP, Slovakia), Knut Fleckenstein (S&D, Germany) and Ivo Vajgl (ALDE, Slovenia), “categorically condemned in strongest terms” the violent events in the Macedonian Parliement. Here we present the full statement by the MEPs:
“We categorically condemn in the strongest terms the attacks on the democratically elected Members of the Parliament in the Sobranie. These acts of violence in the Parliament are an attack on the democratic will of the citizens of the country and are wholly unacceptable under any circumstances and by any democratic norms. We call for calm and restraint by all and for the Interior Ministry and the police to ensure the security of the Parliament and its members. The perpetrators of this unacceptable act of violence have to be identified and punished and the political responsibility for the destabilisation of the country should be established and the consequences discussed soon.
As we have said on several occasions, democracy must be allowed to run its course and parliamentary procedures must be respected. In this regard, we welcome the election of Talat Xhaferi as Speaker of the Parliament.
Our message and that of the European Union has been consistent and clear and we, once again, underline that political dialogue in the institutions is the only way forward and that all political actors have a duty to honour the Constitution of the country and act in the spirit of democratic principles, decency and common sense.
We believe that the Macedonian people deserve an alternative to the current crisis and remind all the political leaders that the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is a candidate country and that the European Parliament is ready to work with the Sobranie on the necessary reforms to move the country forward on its European path.”