Brussels, 13/04/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 12 April European Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn announced that he had “serious doubts if credible elections are still possible” in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). He called on all political parties to return to the negotiating table and to work for reforms.
Hahn's statement followed the decision taken earlier in the day by Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov to stop the legal proceedings against all politicians involved in criminal investigations for telephoning tapping. The opposition accuses the former party in power of having set up a vast phone tapping system involving millions of people - including journalists, politicians and religious leaders.
Hahn tweeted that Ivanov's decision was “not in line with my understanding of the rule of law”, and he added in an interview on Radio Free Europe that it was “not acceptable” that Ivanov should have the legal proceeding against these people stopped. In a press release, Hahn's spokesperson stated that “the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia has committed itself to promoting the rule of law and fighting impunity”. The spokesperson added that “against this background”, Ivanov's decision “raises serious concerns”. “It comes at a time when all parties should be seeking ways to preserve the Przino Agreement” of June and July 2015, the spokesperson stated, saying: “We call on all sides to avoid interventions that risk undermining years of efforts within the country and with the support of the international community to strengthen the rule of law”.
Hahn tweeted that the Macedonian political leaders must know that the actions seen recently in FYROM “put the EuroAtlantic future of their country seriously at risk”.
Questioned by journalists on Wednesday 13 April, Hahn's spokesperson said that the EU was very active, particularly through the local delegation in the country, in trying to find a solution to the crisis.
FYROM's Parliament was dissolved on 6 April, paving the way for early elections on 5 June (see EUROPE 11521). The aim of these elections is to put an end to the political crisis in the country linked to the allegations of illegal phone tapping. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)