Macedonian Parties Agree Election Conduct Code

Nikola Gruevski, leader of the ruling VMRO-DPMNE party, and Branko Crvenkovski, head of the largest opposition party, the Social Democrats, were among the leaders signing the code in Skopje.

So were Ali Ahmeti, of the junior ruling party, the Democratic Union for Integration, DUI, Menduh Thaci of the opposition Democratic Party of Albanians, DPA, and Imer Selmani, head of New Democracy.

The signing of the code comes at a time of heightened pre-election friction between the main political players. Both government and opposition parties have recently accused each other of planning electoral fraud.

The event was attended by the US and EU Ambassadors, Philip Reeker and Peter Sorensen, as well as other representatives of the diplomatic corps and various NGOs.

"There is a certain perception these elections will not be free and fair,” The National Democratic Institute's Macedonia director, Chris Henshaw, noted in his address at the signing ceremony in Skopje.

“Now the political parties need to alter the aforementioned perception into positive reality,” he added.

Crvenkovski said he could guarantee that his party would adhere to the document. "We will give our full contribution towards fair and democratic elections," he said.

But the opposition leader said Prime Minister Gruevski was acting hypocritically in signing the document.

This because the media had recently aired tapes of conversations that appeared to show the ruling party bullying civil servants into providing lists of voters guaranteed to cast ballots for their party.

The claims were revealed this week by the pro-opposition TV station, A1. The ruling party has dismissed the claims. After signing the document, Gruevski gave no statement to the media.

Macedonia saw numerous incidents in the 2008 general election when violence erupted on election day in several ethnic Albanian areas and one person died.

The country improved its battered image in the 2009 local and presidential elections when observers noted far fewer incidents and irregularities.