Thewesternbalkans
On May 10, 2024, the High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell and Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi isued a statement on the second round of the Presidential elections and parliamentary elections in the Republic of North Macedonia.
The main messages of the statement are following:
“According to the preliminary findings and conclusions by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the second round of presidential and regular parliamentary elections in North Macedonia on 8 May y took place in a peaceful and democratic atmosphere. The elections were competitive and fundamental freedoms were respected, although the process remains insufficiently regulated.
The EU congratulates President Siljanovska-Davkova on her election and looks forward to working with the new president, North Macedonia’s first woman Head of State” the statement sad.
In the statement the EU “encourages relevant political actors to work to form a parliament and a stable government. Both institutions need to work together to advance North Macedonia’s EU path including by implementing key reforms particularly in the area of the rule of law and the fight against corruption, in the interests of all its citizens.”
Important part of the statement is the conclusion that “North Macedonia has made decisive steps in the EU accession process, and it will be important now to implement the outstanding commitments necessary to open the first cluster in the accession process.”
The EU and North Macedonia share a strong partnership. The country aligned fully to the EU common foreign and security policy, and we expect our cooperation to continue and further develop.
Once the International Election Observation Mission issues its final recommendations for future elections, the European Union expects all political actors, relevant institutions, and stakeholders to demonstrate their commitment to strengthening democracy by working together to implement those recommendations rapidly and well ahead of the next elections.
In another Statement issued by the spokesperson of the EEAS on the use of the constitutional name by the new President of RNM in her address at the swearing-in ceremony “the EU regrets the fact that the new President of North Macedonia, President Siljanovska-Davkova, did not use the constitutional name of the country during the swearing-in ceremony today. The EU recalls the importance of full respect for existing, legally binding agreements including the Prespa Agreement with Greece.”
Comments:
A very diplomatic statement by Josep Borrell and Oliver Várhelyi, focused mainly on the positive elements of the elections held and zero attention to the pre-election chants and anti-European rhetoric of the president-elect and the VMRO-DPMNE who won the elections. And a very timid (yet quite clear) reference to the implementation of the commitments made by the PNM.
This is currently the only possible reaction of the EU.
However, reading the statement of the EEAS, we are left with the impression that the “good teacher” Europe forgives the child who misbehaved and is ready to continue teaching him. Another question is how much the Macedonian people want someone to teach them anything.
Currently, the results of the presidential and parliamentary elections show a protest vote, including against the European bureaucracy.
The second reaction of the EEAS regarding the use during the inauguration by the new president Siljanovska-Davkova of the old name of the country is a bit more rigid, but on the other hand it was broadcast by the spokesperson of the EEAS and not by another senior official, which greatly reduces its importance.
