Thank you for the resignation, it is not accepted!

XHABIR DERALLA

The speech in which Zoran Zaev offered to the public his express post-election resignation from the position of Prime Minister and leading party function is yet another precedent, unseen in Macedonian politics. The speed with which he made this difficult and responsible decision, with the congratulations to political opponents and with the manners of a (moral) winner and in a difficult (election) defeat, the Macedonian Prime Minister and reformer, once again showed statesman determination and greatness.

Political analysts are already and will be writing about this big decision of Zoran Zaev, while propagandists will try to disavow it, so that the public doesn’t turn towards other politicians, former and current, who should have, but have not shown such greatness.

Regarding yesterday’s resignation that he made publically, the situation is clear. Such decision is not good for the party, is not good for the government, is not good for the state. Perhaps party members need to take care of the party, it’s their decision if and how they will treat this resignation. But for the government and the state, all citizens in the country have a say.

Simply, Zaev has opened and led processes that include such that will enter not only the Macedonian, but also European and worldwide practice. He has to continue to lead them. Simply, has to. He owes this to the coalition partners, and especially to the citizens.

His resignation is a sign of his deep feeling of responsibility. This is something to be welcomed. That feature of his can be seen also in many other actions and big decisions that he has made, most often sailing against the “current”, from which the Prespa Agreement and the strategy “One society for all” can be singled out. He wants to carry the whole burden on his back. When he grabs the shovel, he really grabs the shovel, like in the days after the catastrophic floods in 2016. While Gruevski paraded in front of cameras through the village of Stajkovci, Zaev helped the village residents with sleeves rolled up.

Zaev often reacts to events (too)much emotionally. He has nice human qualities, but they are not always desired when it comes to politics. That “weakness” that he carries in him, he can’t and shouldn’t deal with alone. The progressive public has an obligation to reject his resignation and to give him space to continue the processes.

Another, probably, another more logical argument why Zaev should not resign as Prime Minister (for the party function, let the party decide) is that local elections have ended, not parliamentary elections. This doesn’t need to be explained separately.

So far, the arguments are more than clear and some of these views have already been heard and read in the public. It’s time for responsibility, work and continuing the reforms and processes, not for resignations of those who are not responsible for the defeat in the local elections. Yes, you have read well – local elections.

Translation: N. Cvetkovska