State Election Commission confirms CIVIL’s analysis

Technically, elections can be held, however, an inspection and revision of the Voters Register cannot be managed, which means that ensuring a Voters Register in which everyone will have confidence in is not attainable” – stated the president of the State Election Commission (SEC), Aleksandar Cicakovski, today after consultations with the leading four political parties, and at the initiative of the mediator Peter Vanhoutte.

This statement corresponds with CIVIL’s analysis and recommendations in the previous period, summarized in the analysis from January 10. 2016.

Through the statements given by Xhabir Deralla, Sinisa Stankovic, Biljana Everet, Marija Tegovska and other representatives of CIVIL for numerous national and local media, as well as numerous press releases, reports, analysis and recommendations, the organization has been warning from the very start of this process that the deadlines are short, and that at this point there aren’t even minimum conditions for holding free elections on April 24, the date scheduled with the Agreement for overcoming the political crisis in Republic of Macedonia. In the statements given for CIVIL, experts Aleksandra Jozic-Ilekovic and Saso Ordanoski shared their views, which coincide with the analysis of the organization.

In its analysis, CIVIL demanded for the institutions and media to be freed and to work independently and very hard, and to open up to the resources that are offered by civil society. That did not happen. The situation in the country got even more complicated with the intensifying of the party-political campaigns and the abuses of the media and public resources and of the administration after the signing of the political agreement.

“This operation requires 85 days or nearly three months” – stated Cicakovski today – “Currently, the methodologies have still not been adopted, and there are 48 days remaining until March 5, which means that we are 37 days in delay as of now”.

Cicakovski claims: “The inspection of the Voters Register in this short period of time can only be an improvisation, and with such a procedure we will not ensure a credible Voters Register and credible elections.

“Technical elections can be organized at any time” – says Vanhaute, explaining that this is precisely the position of Commissioner Johannas Hahn. “The Parliament should take into consideration the credibility of these elections. To have credible elections, and not just elections for the sake of having elections, it is necessary to have a revised Voters Register”, emphasized the international mediator, who recommends to first have the Voters Register revised and then to have elections organized.

The question remains whether the statements of the expert and President of the State Election Commission Aleksandar Cicakovski, the mediator Peter Vanhaute and Commissioner Johannes Hahn will now be spinned and accused of being under CIVIL’s influence.