SKOPJE – Prime Minister of North Macedonia Zoran Zaev proposed early parliamentary election today, following the failure of European Council to give his country a date for opening of accession negotiations.
“Two days ago in Brussels, a big injustice was made. EU has not delivered what was promised”, said Zaev in a press conference.
He reminded that North Macedonia has respected its obligations, including the normalisation of relations with its neighbours.
“It is a historical mistake, and it was confirmed by all European leaders”, Zaev stated, adding that the citizens of North Macedonia are embittered, disappointed and angry.
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He expressed his belief that every politician should be responsible, and took responsibility for the development, proposing that the citizens should give a new mandate to a new government.
“There is no time to lose, and therefore my proposal is to organize a quick snap election, as soon as possible, election in which you, the citizens, will decide on the path our country should go forward”, Zaev said.
He stated that this will be his proposal in the meeting of Macedonian political leadership on Sunday, which is scheduled for tomorrow on the initiative of the President Stevo Pendarovski.
According to the Constitution of North Macedonia, The Assembly is dissolved when more than half of the total number of Representatives vote for dissolution.
“The citizens will have the mandate to decide whether we should continue on the path of democratic and European values, path of development and prosperity, path that leads forward. Or a dark path leading to isolation, the path of nationalism, divisions and conflicts, the path that leads backwards”, said Zaev.
He said that the path his party would propose is a path of friendship and partnership with neighbours and the rest of the democratic world.
“Or we should return to the captured state, monuments, Styrofoam facades, criminal investments, ethnic tensions, closed media, beating of students and getting rich on the back of the poor”, Zaev said, referring to the government of VMRO-DPMNE, which was in power from 2006 to 2016.