“It is still too early to assess the results of the Przhino Agreement. Important steps have been made, however there are serious delays, “says the Ambassador of the Netherlands, Wouter Plomp, in an interview with “Utrinski Vesnik “.
According to Ambassador Plomp, some issues, such as the reforms within the media and the voters’ list until yesterday were not resolved. He welcomes the decision of the opposition to continue to participate in Government and their involvement in political working groups, because, as he says, with that, it allows a continuous and inclusive process to achieve an agreement on necessary reforms.
Ambassador Plomp believes the weeks that follow are of critical importance.
“What remains, is to implement important responsibilities, such as the electoral roll and ensuring greater equality in the media. We expect all political parties to stand by their commitments and cooperate constructively towards the full implementation of the Przhino Agreement. This includes resolving the remaining issues through an inclusive process, and through compromise, and providing the necessary support to the State Election Commission, who will ultimately ensure the participation and trust in the electoral process and in the elections with all parties and most importantly, the citizens” said Ambassador Plomp.
He said that the full implementation of the Przhino Agreement includes free and fair elections in full compliance with European standards and that additional evaluation, it was announced, will show whether the conditions for holding such elections are met.
In the first six months of this year, the Netherlands hold the EU Presidency. One of the priorities for the Presidency is the rule of law within Member States.
“The European Union is built on common values. EU membership does not just bring benefits but also responsibilities. One of the most important responsibilities of each Member State, is respect for the fundamental values of the Union, and especially the rule of law, democracy and basic human rights. These are constant challenges that Governments have to deal with. It means that we are striving to open discussions on the best way to protect those values in times of change”, concluded Ambassador Plomp.
