Brussels, 01/02/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 29 January, the EU delegation in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) stated that much work remained to be done for the parliamentary elections on 24 April to be free and fair.
The political agreement of summer 2015 “committed the signatories to structural reforms, including measures to provide greater media freedom, a revised voters' list, and implementation of all OSCE recommendations to make free and fair elections possible”. “Significant work remains to meet those conditions”, a press release states, which was issued by the EU delegation, in coordination with the US Embassy to the country, after a meeting with Prime Minister Emil Dimitriev.
During this meeting, Europeans and Americans repeated their commitment to offer technical help to create the conditions that will make credible elections possible. The EU delegation thus announced that before 20 February, in other words before the dissolution of the national parliament that is scheduled for 24 February, the EU and the US, “in consultation with international and local experts”, would jointly assess whether the conditions are in place to support the holding of credible elections on 24 April.
According to a letter sent to the prime minister and leaders of the four main political parties by the ambassadors of the EU, Aivo Orav, and of the US, Jess Baily, the Europeans and Americans want the national electoral commission to be fully financed and equipped with the necessary staff, and they want the four parties to find an agreement on reforming the media. Furthermore, a sufficient separation between state and the activities of the political parties should be operated and abuses sanctioned.
“However, it is up to the parliament, the government and your political leaders to make decisions”, said the EU delegation, which believes these political leaders “are responsible for putting their nation back onto the Euro-Atlantic path”. The EU and US encourage the leaders of the political parties not to attack public officials “whose job it is to create the conditions for credible elections”. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)