After the collapse of the government in FYROM an EU-brokered agreement set up a road-map for reforms leading to free and fair elections that were supposed to take place on 24 April 2016. However opposition parties as well as the EU Delegation and the US Embassy in Skopje have all agreed that credible elections will not be possible on 24 April as the necessary preparations have not taken place.
Speaking at the event in Skopje today, organized by the PES jointly with the Olof Palme International Center and Progress Institute for Social Democracy, Sergei Stanishev, PES President said:
‘We are here to show the Macedonian people that the international community is watching and we are optimistic about seeing democratic elections in FYR Macedonia in June.’
‘To make this happen we urge all parties in FYROM to move forward with the full implementation of the Przino Agreement including, importantly, ensuring media freedom and completing an audit of the Voters’ List.’
The collapse of the Macedonian government was precipitated by mass protests following disputed elections in 2014 and the social democrat PES member party SDSM party’s disclosure that the government had committed wide-spread illegal phone-tapping including of SDSM’s leader as well as other non-democratic actions including corruption, election fraud, and control of the media and judiciary administration.
At the last PES Presidency meeting a declaration was adopted on the situation in Macedonia.
