“Operation Sweep” announced by Zoran Zaev in April – right after the first round of presidential elections, will “kick-off” in June. Arrogant and irresponsible departments will be targeted, as well as those who involved in nepotism and are part of the Anti-Corruption Commission’s cases. The prime minister announced this after returning from a short holiday with his friends abroad, which somehow unfortunately coincided with the inauguration of President Stevo Pendarovski .
Zaev used his long weekend to outline future decisions related to the changes, which, as Zaev himself said, will first be on a central level, and in the summer they will continue on a local level, and will also involve his party (SDSM), which is dominant in government and therefore has the greatest responsibility and reflection on citizens.
“There will also be changes on a ministerial level and of company directors, but also on a local level, as well as inside the party I come from. The arguments for the change will be arrogant, failure to fulfill tasks, non-agility, or everything that citizens are not satisfied with. It’s about human weakness, not about who is guilty or not. Of course, decisions from the Anti-Corruption Commission, especially if there was an impact on employment, will be taken into account”, said Zaev.
In the coming days for the “government sweep”, Zaev will talk to DUI leader Ali Ahmeti, as well as other leaders from the coalition.
However, DUI officials have publicly said that they are only accountable to their party and party leader Ahmeti. In regard to this, Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs, Bujar Osmani, in the “200” show on Alsat Television said:
There is nothing strange here. The government is political, not experts, it is made up of the parties from the coalition. Each party has its own forums where the staff are nominated to lead institutions. I was elected to the presidency of DUI and I have proposed to the Prime Minister to propose me to Parliament. In regards to this, the Prime Minister has the opportunity to request that Ali Ahmeti be replaced by a DUI official and the DUI presidency must confirm this, even Ali Ahmeti must confirm such a decision in the leadership of DUI.
Regarding such messages from DUI ministers, Zaev commented that “everyone comes from a party, but there cannot be a placement of candidates like in a regime and that he, as the government’s elected leader, can propose changes, but its Parliament who decides, which is composed of different parties.”
Citizens are a classic example, they publicly comment, that’s freedom, it is transparent, it is heard everywhere and generally we expect that where changes will happen. I, as mandatar, should see these indications from the citizens, but I just propose, its ministers who will decide on Parliament, and for government functions, its the government who will have the final say”, Zaev says.
However, if Zaev will “sweep” in DUI’s yard, it will be clearer after he meets with Ahmeti.
And while the prime minister believes that a complete list of changes in ministries and state institutions will be released at the beginning of June, ministers in his cabinet hope to flee the sweep. Everyone says that they have managed to realize the envisaged programs and do not expect the prime minister to thank them.
Although Zaev didn’t announce neither the number, nor the names, nor the sectors where there will be changes, the public is speculating that the ministries of culture, ecology, transport, the economic sphere, the investment sector will be affected by the reshuffle, and the first a man in the newly formed Ministry of Political System and Inter-Community Relations.
The announced reshuffle will be the first in Zaev’s government cabinet. So far there have been only a few changes of individual ministers and some castling.
To replace one minister, an absolute majority of 61 MPs is needed. If Zaev decides to propose the dismissal of over one third of the members of Government (in the case of more than 8), Parliament decides how to elect a new government (Article 94 of the Constitution).
