Yesterday for six hours, representatives from SDSM, DPA and DUI waited for representatives from VMRO-DPMNE, Nikola Todorov and Nikola Popovski, to return from a break which was agreed upon by the working groups, “Meta” has discovered.
Even though the break was only meant to last for two hours, after six hours passed and they still hadn’t returned to the MP Club House. Just before midnight, the Belgian expert Peter Vanhoutte by phone gave the two MPs 10 minutes to return and resume negotiations, if not, all political parties would leave the meeting. After the 10 minute deadline, Mr Popovski and Mr Todorov had still not returned to negotiations, the representatives of the other parties left. It is still not clear when a new meeting will be scheduled or whether the working groups will continue negotiations from the Przhino Agreement.
According to “Meta” sources, SDSM are demanding that a Ministry of Diaspora should be opened, which is one of the requirements from the organizations of expatriates. Our sources say that SDSM are for the Diaspora vote, but in compliance with the recommendations of the OSCE / ODIHR for equal voices. SDSM consider the creation of a Ministry for the Diaspora would ease the pressure on the manner of voting of the Diaspora, because all their demands would be introduced by this Ministry. SDSM are fighting for the Diaspora to have the right to vote and the Diaspora to have 85 to 90 percent of the average number of votes to be realised in the last parliamentary elections.
SDSM have also played the female card by questioning the percentage quota for women in the electoral laws as well as in the bodies of institutions. Their proposal is the percentage of the quota for women to be increased to 40 percent.
The opposition party outlined that progress within the working groups was small, almost none, although the deadline for electoral laws ends tomorrow. So far, the only points which have been agreed upon is the selection of the members of SEC which will be done by the formula “three plus three plus three”. This means three members of the government, three from the opposition and three experts will be chosen through a public competition.
In relation to the electoral roll, the chances are increasing for field work for verification of voters who will exercise these commissions jointly.
Although the parties have one more day to resolve these issues, it is unknown whether they’ll fail to solve them by themselves or have the law handed to them , which at the end of the day they will have to sign the agreement.
