FYROM's July 5th elections

[Tsontos]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5148972.stm

Apparently Gruevski who is "centre-right" is in front but Im not sure which party he is. Whatever happens the Albanians must always play apart in FYROM's elections and even the nationalist parties need coalitions with them.

[Ptolemy]

Parliamentary elections largely met international standards, but tainted by isolated irregularities, say observers in Skopje
http://www.osce.org/item/19800.html



SKOPJE, 6 July 2006 - Parliamentary elections in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia on 5 July largely met international standards for democratic elections, but violence and intimidation cast a shadow over the campaign, and election day, 5 July, was calm with isolated cases of serious irregularities, concluded the International Election Observation Mission in a preliminary statement, released today.

Some 380 observers monitored the election on behalf of the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). This was the ninth time the OSCE observed elections in the country.

"There were a number of improvements in the election process which are a result of the implementation of previous recommendations," said Audrey Glover, Head of the ODIHR mission.

"However, serious incidents during the campaign and on election day are a continuing reminder that perpetrators must be held accountable in accordance with the rule of law."

Mevlut Cavusoglu, who led the PACE delegation, said: "Yesterday the citizens could, and did, decide on the political direction of their country in a generally democratic fashion. The serious, but isolated, irregularities observed should not be allowed to overshadow the democratic progress made. We regret that for some violence and manipulation are still acceptable tools to further their political goals. This can only be condemned. We welcome the willingness and capacity of the people and the electoral system to take corrective action towards such abuses, which is a sign of political maturity."

The observers also concluded that voting and counting were conducted in an orderly and peaceful manner in most of the country, but isolated, serious irregularities, such as vote buying, ballot box stuffing, tension and intimidation tainted the election process in a number of municipalities.

While observers did not find any deliberate attempt to manipulate polling station protocols during the count, major procedural problems were reported.

Following an inclusive registration of political parties, the campaign was competitive, offering the electorate a broad choice. However, a number of violent incidents cast a shadow over the first half of the campaign. Observers also noted instances of abuse of administrative resources, particularly by mayor's offices.

Overall, the broadcast and print media provided the voters with a variety of views, but the public broadcaster, Macedonian Television, favoured the ruling parties in its coverage. The tone of the media coverage was generally moderate, with some partisan comments in private media.

Although the new consolidated Election Code was finalized only three months before the elections, it provides a more consistent basis for their conduct, including provisions for increasing participation of women and national minorities.

For further information contact:

Urdur Gunnarsdottir, OSCE/ODIHR: +48 603 683 122, +389 70 970 593, urdur@odihr.pl

Bas Klein, Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly: +33 630 496 820, Bas.Klein@coe.int

[Melbourne]

Any further updates with the results?

[Melbourne]

Any updates on the the results as yet?

[Slayer]

Former boxer becomes Macedonian Prime Minister
By Anthony Browne, Europe Correspondent of The Times



A Slav nationalist former boxer and amateur actor has been elected Prime Minister of the troubled Balkan state of Macedonia after a campaign marred by violence in a region still volatile with ethnic tensions.



Nikola Gruevski, 35, leader of the VMRO-DPMNE party, defeated Vlado Buckovski, the incumbent Prime Minister, who conceded defeat today in the fourth elections since the country broke away from Yugoslavia in 1991.

The preservation of a stable, multi-ethnic Macedonia next door to the UN-run province of Kosovo, whose Albanian majority is expected to win independence soon, is crucial to lasting peace in the Balkans.

The last time the VMRO-DPMNE party was in power in 2001, its hardline nationalist policies provoked an insurgency among ethnic Albanians, almost plunging the country into a civil war that was averted only by Western diplomacy.
The party has since moderated its stance, and Mr Gruevski now looks set to form a government by entering into an unlikely coalition with one of the former Albania rebel leaders.
The new Prime Minister told a rally in Skopje, the capital, that “the citizens of Macedonia showed their maturity and made the right decision”.

Although the election campaign was marred by gunfire and a grenade attacks, the actual election day passed off peacefully, and the international community has declared the results valid. The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, which helped to monitor the elections, said that the polls had been “largely democratic”, noting that the “election day was calm, with isolated cases of serious irregularities”.

The country remains on course to join Nato in 2008 and the European Union in 2012. The EU accepted Macedonia as an official candidate last December, but refused to set a date to start entry talks because of concern over democracy and the slow pace of reform. Brussels is to review the situation in October.

The VMRO-DPMNE derives its name from the revolutionary and nationalist groups founded in the 19th century to fight occupation by the Ottoman Empire.

The elections were also a test of the 2001 Ohrid peace deal, which ended the seven-month conflict between the Slav majority and Albania minority, who make up a quarter of the two million population.

Peace between Slavs and Albanians in Macedonia is likely to make it easier for Albanian-dominated Kosovo to succeed in achieving peaceful independence from Serbia later this year, when the UN starts talks on its future. British and other international troops are keeping the peace in the province after the US-led war stopped Serbian atrocities against ethnic Albanians, who are mainly Muslim.

Kosovo’s independence is being resisted by Serbia, which was forced to grant independence to Montenegro in May. Montenegrins voted narrowly for independence, marking the final break-up of the erstwhile Yugoslavia into its six federal republics. Serbia, which in effect had a land empire covering much of the Balkans, has been left a landlocked rump of its former self.



http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,13509-2258934,00.html


finaly a journalist with half a brain

[Amarantos]

Deputy FM Valynakis comments on FYROM elections

Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannis Valynakis said on Thursday that there was an apparent change of government in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), calling at the same time the new administration to work towards resolving the dispute with Greece over the landlocked state's name.

"All indications show a change in government. We are awaiting of course for the official announcement of the election results, while the forming of a new government will take some time," Valynakis told reporters on the sidelines of the Third Meeting of South East Europe European Affairs Ministers, in Dubrovnik, Croatia.

"In any case," Valynakis added, "we are ready, on our part, for cooperation and we are expecting from the new government to work in the direction of a further improvement of our relations in all sectors and to adopt the proper stance for the solution, in a mutually acceptable manner, of the (country's) name issue."

"We support the European prospects of the Western Balkans and of FYROM. But what is needed is Skopje's response to its international obligations and the criteria set by the European Union, and the finding of a mutually acceptable solution which will reinforce good neighbourly relations and regional cooperation," Valynakis noted.

Greece has contributed to FYROM's stability, economic progress and efforts for development, and can be a "precious partner" in its European course, Valynakis concluded.

Greece opposes to the landlocked country's use of the name 'Macedonia' arguing that it concealed expansionist designs against its northern province of Macedonia.


source:ANA-MPA