Macedonian election salad, a curse and a blessing

XHABIR DERALLA

The market, even if it be political, operates in a very simple manner – every commodity has its own buyer.

At the end of the first week of the official election campaign for the local elections, we could see all the colors and features of the Macedonian political and election folklore.

One by one, the characters of the campaign line up. I see one, then another, then a third one, then their leader, then a party official, and then all over again. After this, a new gallery… Another election cycle, more specifically, circus, as we have almost every year. And people like circuses, right?

WARMING UP FOR EARLY PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

Local elections? No way, this is just warming up for the “big election victory” in the early parliamentary elections. Only after, Macedonia (mayitbewhole-pure-withoutShqiptars) will bloom, because the projects are here, only a government is needed (no big deal).

Indeed, at this time when everything can be checked, who can still believe politicians who don’t know where (and when) they are? Even if reading times tables from a math textbook, one should not believe them. But that’s that…

OVERLY SMILING AS OPPOSED TO OVERLY DARK

What do we have in the campaign?

On the one hand, I would say, overly optimistic smiles, and on the other hand, already pathologic, darkness and sorrow. In other words, an extra dose of, a bit of exaggerated, European delight as opposed to the grinding of teeth and sharpening of teeth, nails, knives and loading of old pistols.

In the midst of the pre-election tornado, “sages” appear inevitably, who descend from their self-proclaimed Olympus and give advice which they themselves never had.

THE INDEPENDENT BETWEEN THE HAMMER AND THE ANVIL

And the independent…

Definitely, the conditions in which the small parties or independent candidates can present themselves to the public are difficult. Insufficient media space and small or no chances at all for using advertisement space are just some of the difficulties faced by those who have dared to act independently from the big party structures.

Certainly, as before, now too we see many abuses of the term “independent” political action. Between the hammer and the anvil – the independents are facing unfavourable conditions in the election race, with their own inexperience and fake independents. Good luck to them.

INDEPENDENT AND INDEPENDENT

The “independent spirits” are excited. A real democratic Spring in Autumn, the “independents” would say about themselves, of course, with a much more boring choice of words. In reality, few are truly independent, and in the total numbers are not nearly so numerous. In 2005, there were three times more independents (with or without quotation marks).

Hence, we see candidates who have a thick layer of various party fat on their head (and in their pocket), and who have all of a sudden decided to become independent. Or, “independent” candidates, who “by chance” are supported by a big political party. Or political parties who suddenly are returning to civil society and acting as civic initiatives or movements.

When one thinks about it, we can see little real and genuine independence in the political offer of the 2021 local elections.

UNREQUITED LOVE

One wonders, where does such courage come from to openly lie and to look into the eyes of people and the camera lens. Cronyism on the lists, business unskilfully hidden behind “green” or “developmental” policies, personal and family interests, vanity…

It’s very easy to say that someone is disappointed, but that word has too often been misused in these past years.

The truth is: they are not disappointed, but angry for not having receiving what they had demanded – position, money, power, services…What one professor star would say – out of “unrequited love”.

STAR

For me, the star in the first days of the campaign is the hysterically funny character wrapped in a cloak, like the Alan Ford mocking version of Superman (Superhik). He is the only refreshment to a certain extent, even though it is boring for a person to listen to him for longer than 15 seconds. Contrary to the known gallery of dark characters who never participate, but just moan from the deep shadow of their party bunker. A real provincial circus.

ALREADY SEEN

To sum up, an already seen Macedonian, and even Balkan, pre-election salad, a bit sour, pathetic and overly spicy, not pretty to the eye and in taste. Local elections, like the parliamentary ones. Promises, as if tomorrow all villages and towns will become Frankfurt am Main, just better, healthier, richer and cleaner.

To rule in the middle of the greatest misfortune that has struck Europe since Second World War is probably madness. But people like being in politics. They want to be smacked by the blinding beam of the public spotlight. Ruling is a curse and a blessing.

But someone has to rule. May it be the best possible one, according to the free choice of the citizens.

Translation: N. Cvetkovska