Skopje: Speaker Urges Opposition Parties to Return

He urged the heads of parliamentary groups to do so for the sake of the country’s democratic image.

“All MPs, including the parliament speaker, bear responsibility for Macedonia's integration with the European Union and NATO,” Veljanoski said on Tuesday, expressing his fear that the prolonged absence of the opposition from the meetings may stain the image of the country.

Last Tuesday, representatives from the biggest opposition party, the Social Democrats, SDSM, as well as from the Liberal Party, LP, the New Social Democrats, NSDP, the New Democracy Party, ND and the New Alternative Party, NA, announced that they would boycott the sessions, which are seen as key in maintaining constructive political dialogue.

They complained that the ruling majority from the centre-right VMRO DPMNE party regularly ignores their proposals and works behind their backs.

Parliament's weekly coordination meetings serve to coordinate the upcoming agenda, and are seen as key for building mutual trust and ensuring the normal functioning of the parliament.

“I also call on the majority to show understanding for the opposition's demands, as it is the only way to develop parliamentary democracy,” Veljanoski said.

Cvetanka Ivanova, the party coordinator of the Social Democrats, replied to Veljanoski's remarks. She said that her party will return to the sessions once the speaker delivers written guarantees indicating the specific dates when discussion will be held on the hot topics that the opposition wants to see on the agenda.

The opposition claims it has been ignored when it has asked to discuss controversial topics such as the state-funded revamp of Skopje’s downtown area. It also complained that it has been excluded from the passing of provisions that reduce parliament’s revision function over the reports of the State Audit Office and over the final report on the Macedonian budget.

The coordinator of the opposition New Democracy party, Flora Kadriu, also indicated that the parliament speaker and the ruling majority should do more to resolve the situation.