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Macedonia dissolves parliament, elections slated for June
Source: Xinhua |
April 16, 2011, Saturday
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AFTER lawmakers in Macedonia voted to dissolve parliament, Speaker Trajko Veljanovski yesterday announced new elections for the Balkan country would be scheduled for June 5, one year earlier than expected, reported the Macedonian Information Agency (MIA).
Veljanovski explained that according to the Macedonian Electoral Code, elections must be held within 60 days.
On Thursday evening, with a vote of 79-0 in the 120-seat assembly, the motion to dissolve parliament was carried. The Macedonian parliament had been boycotted by many opposition parties in recent months. At the core of the deadlock are charges of corruption linked to the owner of a private television station in Skopje.
Veljanovski said the election would address the "artificial political crisis" created by opposition parties, who were using parliament as a forum to address issues better addressed by the judiciary.
"The irresponsible behavior of some politicians threatens to ruin results we have achieved," said Veljanovski, addressing the electorate. "As someone who signed the motion for parliament's dissolution, I feel profound accountability in urging you to stand in defense of country's future."
Opposition leaders welcomed the early elections, saying it was an opportunity to replace the current government headed by Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski.
Macedonia currently faces a harsh economic situation and a protracted diplomatic dispute with neighboring Greece. Athens has charged that the former Yugoslav republic's use of the name Macedonia implies historical and territorial pretensions on northern Greek territory. As a consequence, Greece has effectively blocked Macedonia's membership process toward the EU and NATO.
This will be Macedonia's seventh national election since seceding from the former Yugoslavia in 1991.
Veljanovski explained that according to the Macedonian Electoral Code, elections must be held within 60 days.
On Thursday evening, with a vote of 79-0 in the 120-seat assembly, the motion to dissolve parliament was carried. The Macedonian parliament had been boycotted by many opposition parties in recent months. At the core of the deadlock are charges of corruption linked to the owner of a private television station in Skopje.
Veljanovski said the election would address the "artificial political crisis" created by opposition parties, who were using parliament as a forum to address issues better addressed by the judiciary.
"The irresponsible behavior of some politicians threatens to ruin results we have achieved," said Veljanovski, addressing the electorate. "As someone who signed the motion for parliament's dissolution, I feel profound accountability in urging you to stand in defense of country's future."
Opposition leaders welcomed the early elections, saying it was an opportunity to replace the current government headed by Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski.
Macedonia currently faces a harsh economic situation and a protracted diplomatic dispute with neighboring Greece. Athens has charged that the former Yugoslav republic's use of the name Macedonia implies historical and territorial pretensions on northern Greek territory. As a consequence, Greece has effectively blocked Macedonia's membership process toward the EU and NATO.
This will be Macedonia's seventh national election since seceding from the former Yugoslavia in 1991.
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