The US government concernedly follows the political turmoil in Macedonia with the wiretapping affair and case “Puch”, said a spokesman for the US State Department, reports Voice of America.
Official Washington feels that the events raised serious questions for Macedonian citizens, as well as the international friends and partners of Macedonia.
State Department calls on the Macedonian authorities to adhere to the highest standards of the rule of law, transparency, protection of freedom of speech and judicial independence, and to ensure the integrity of democratic processes in Macedonia. According to the assessment of the spokesman, this is an opportunity for Macedonian parliamentary, judicial and governmental institutions to show that they can respond to this challenge and to respect the law in all courts, as well as to ensure transparency, fairness and equal treatment of all its citizens.
Regarding the reports of Macedonian media that the US, in the context of the political situation, could void visas for Macedonian politicians, judges, journalists, businessmen and others who are suspected of corruption, money laundering and violations of human rights, the US Government official suggests that, according to US law, it can contribute to the non-issuance or withdrawal of a visa and that such information are publicly available at the webpage of the Bureau of Consular Affairs of the State Department.
He states that this provision of information, according to US law, for the mechanisms for the withdrawal of visas, does not mean that the Embassy threatened to revoke visas or that rumored for some further actions. According to him, every visa application is decided separately in each case, in accordance with US law and that the US Government cannot discuss individual cases because visa data, again in accordance with the law, are confidential.
