Stormy week one of the pre-elections campaign

It was a stormy week of campaigning on the double elections in Macedonia. Presidential candidates held a series of rallies in numerous cities and villages across the country, presenting their new programs. According to Civil’s record, VMRO-DPMNE held 27 rallies and gatherings, SDSM - 29, GROM-9, DPA 7, and DUI met 10 times with the citizens, although they don’t have a presidential candidate.

There were no records of serious incidents last week, except for a minor one in Kochani, where a municipality advisor - allegedly - slapped an opposition SDSM member of the parliament. The incident occurred in the local headquarter of SDSM in Grdovci. The event took place due to the dissatisfaction of the municipality councilor from the composition of the candidates list for the parliamentary elections.

There was a security alert in Shuto Orizari where the presidential candidate Stevo Pendarovski was about to hold a rally. Pendarovski’s team canceled the event as a preventive measure from possible incidents, stating that the decision was made in a direct consultation with an Interior Ministry’s (MOI) official. The MOI denied the claims of SDSM. The MOI denied existence of any consultations, and that police didn’t assess any kind of security risk in the area.

Elections without debate

Pre-electoral debate of presidential candidates is a requisite for a healthy and democratic society. In the previous presidential elections, we witnessed several political duels on TV screens. But, direct confrontation in a public debate is avoided for some time now.

TV Telma has sent an invitation to all presidential candidates. Reportedly, the candidate Gorge Ivanov refused the invitation to which the TV station reacted quite vociferously, charging that ignoring such invitations is a method of the insecure.

Apart of sniping and mutual disqualifications on the rallies, a real political debate didn’t take place so far.

Violation of the law

Several political parties submitted charges on the Elections Law violation to the State Electoral Commission. Charges were brought upon the Presidential candidate Gorge Ivanov for pre-term elections campaigning; there were similar objections by VMRO-DPMNE upon the SDSM’s candidate Stevo Pendarovski.

As it refers to this there was violation of the election law from presidential candidate us to like DIK with our arguments and proves decided to raise the infringement procedure in which the court will decide how the outcome will be. As it refers on the other violations we work on clarification of other complaints and with proves we’ll decide what to do. We also have three complaints from VMRO – DPMNE for the candidate for president of SDSM. Still is not decided what will they take and what penalties will follow, said the Vice President of the State Election Commission Subhi Jakupi.

Infringement of election law had and from the public service MRT. On Friday in the central dnevnik in 19:30 MRT broke the law 77 with what he announced ratings data and did not cited the implementer of the research.

Lists for MP’s are submitted

We expect the campaign of the political parties to start next week. This week, fourteen political parties including five coalitions submitted lists of candidates for MP’s. From DIK say that for six constituencies in Macedonia and for three constituencies for abroad, lists for candidates submitted- Democratic Union for Integration (DUI), SDSM and the rest of the parties in coalition and VMRO – DPMNE and the rest of the parties in coalition.

Democratic Party of Albanians (DPA) submitted lists for candidates of five constituencies (1, 2, 3, 5 и 6) in Macedonia, also on the constituencies 7 (Europe and Africa) and 8 (North and South America). National Democratic Revival (NDR) brought candidates list for the constituencies 1, 2, 5 and 6 and election district 7, Dignity Coalition for Macedonia has lists of candidates for all six constituencies in Macedonia and for the election district 8 for voting in North and South America.

For all election districts in Macedonia their lists for candidates for MP’s in the Assembly submitted VMRO National Party, Coalition Grom, Coalition for positive Macedonia and Social Democratic party of Macedonia (SDPM).