During a visit to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia on Friday 14 October, European Commissioner for Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn stressed that it is critical that the elections scheduled for 11 December are prepared and carried out in such a way as to put them beyond question.
"The elections are an important stage. It is important that they are prepared and executed so that nobody can find any fault with them afterwards", he told a press conference. According to a Commission press release, Hahn urged the political parties and state institutions to draw a clear distinction between state activities and those of the parties and to ensure that the voters are not intimidated. He also noted signs of progress regarding the neutrality and impartiality of the media in the election campaign. He stressed that the media need to have the opportunity to play their part independently and professionally. He went on to praise the professional work of the national electoral committee.
However, although the elections are an important stage in putting the country back on its Euro-Atlantic journey, they are not everything, he told the press. He called for the political agreement of summer 2015 to be implemented in its entirety. The commissioner expressed his hopes that once elected, the new government will continue with the country's European perspective by adopting the necessary reforms, not simply pledging to do so, but by adopting a roadmap with definite timeframes. "The crisis has lasted far too long and affected all sectors of society and the economy. This is why it is vital to tackle the reasons for crisis, by implementing" the most urgent priority reforms, he said.
Hahn also called upon the leaders to support the work of the special prosecutor. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)