There is no deal, Macedonia remains in deep political crisis

There is no deal on major issues within the political agreement for overcoming the political crisis in the Republic of Macedonia. The elections date, Voters register and media are the burning chapters of the political agreement, brokered by the international community and signed by the four largest political parties in the country.

The opposition, led by SDSM, and over 70 civil society organizations demanded postponement of the date for pre-term parliamentary elections, scheduled for April 24, 2016, due to the failure of the institutions to obtain conditions for free elections.

The Voters Register and urgent reforms in media are the major, but not the only reasons for the demands of the opposition and the civil society.

CIVIL – Center for Freedom, has issued numerous reports, analysis and recommendations, and has warned on the shortcomings of the process since its beginning. CIVIL has reported many times on the failure of the institutions and continued abuse of power that undermined the political agreement from day one.

On Friday 15 January Johannes Hahn, Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, visited Skopje, the capitol of the country, in an attempt to reiterate the responsibility of the four main political parties to implement their agreement, including the need to ensure the conditions for credible elections, according to the deadlines which they had agreed on July 15, 2015.

After a marathon negotiations in the EU Ambassador’s residence in the Skopje area named Przino, there is no agreement. The ruling party of VMRO-DPMNE, supported by the two ethnic Albanian parties (DUI and DPA), stayed firmly on positions that elections must be held on April 24, 2016 regardless of the failures to obtain conditions for free elections.

The country remains in deep political crisis.