With just three days left until the mandate expires for mayors, SDSM and VMRO-DPMNE for the first time came out today with possible dates for holding the local elections, in order to avoid an institutional blockade.
SDSM leader, Zoran Zaev told reporters that if an agreement were reached on the local elections, they will be held this year in October or November, and if they are held next year, they will be held in March, April or May.
“In Macedonia, until now, it has been done by an agreement between all the political parties and I expect, at least, if not us, the leaders of the parliamentary parties, our representatives have to schedule a session in Parliament, as the law and order dictates, to agree on a new date for the local elections. Also, they need to agree and schedule the Legislative Committee and the Committee for Political Systems, this way a session will be scheduled faster in Parliament, and the postponement of the elections will be inevitable, as they were planned for the first half of May”, said Zaev.
This afternoon, MP and member of the Executive Committee of VMRO-DPMNE, Antonio Milososki at a press conference, stated that his party are for local elections, and to be conducted as soon as possible, he suggested three possible dates for the elections.
The first date proposed by VMRO-DPMNE is for July the 2nd, and if, said Milososki, the parliamentary majority is not prepared for this date, local elections can be held on the 17th or 24th of September, or October the 15th.
“VMRO-DPMNE and our parliamentary group will support any proposal the parliamentary majority decide on. We hope it will happen as soon as possible, and that the local elections are conducted quickly and efficiently, so that local-government which is a constitutional citizens right, does not suffer any major damage”, said Milososki.
SDSM reacted to this, saying that VMRO-DPMNE were treating the elections dates like lottery numbers.
Parliament Speaker, Talat Xhaferi at today’s press briefing said that it is the responsibility of the political parties to come to a consensus on the date for the local elections, and once they agree on a date, they are to inform Parliament in order to begin with the necessary procedures.
