On Monday 30 October, the spokesperson for the European External Action Service (EEAS) called on the leaders of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) to act responsibly, following the second round of municipal elections on Sunday 29 October. The leader of the opposition, Nikola Gruevski, has rejected the result of the ballot, which was won by the party in power, and has called for parliamentary elections.
Although, during both rounds, the elections were "competitive and held in an environment respecting fundamental freedoms", there were nevertheless some shortcomings identified, the EEAS spokesperson stated in a press release, reiterating the statements of the OSCE electoral observation mission. "Any concerns or complaints by participants in the elections should be addressed to the relevant national authorities following the established procedures and within the deadlines", the spokesperson added, saying that "it is important that all leaders act responsibly, to strengthen citizens' trust in national institutions and political processes".
The EEAS spokesperson called on all stakeholders now to implement the recommendations made by the OSCE observers, which "will allow the relevant state institutions to further improve their capacities well ahead of the next election cycle". The EU is ready to offer support in this regard, the spokesperson added.
Saying that the elections gave "a clear mandate to the new mayors and members of the municipal councils on how the citizens would like their local government to be shaped in their municipalities", the EEAS spokesperson said the focus should now be on moving the EU reform agenda forward "through an inclusive process in the interests of all citizens". (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)