Skopje, 7 April 2024 (MIA) - We need transparency and inclusion from the president if we want the country to work and have internal cohesion, says presidential candidate of the opposition bloc of ethnic Albanians, Arben Taravari, in an interview with MIA.

Taravari believes it is good for the country to have a president from another ethnic community for once, while adding that circumstances have still not matured for people to vote for a person not a party.

All people have their good sides and shortcomings. I think it is good to have a president from another ethnic community in Macedonia for once, although realistically, I believe circumstances have still not matured for us to vote for a person. In general, people here are rather partisan, although people vote for a person not a party at presidential and local elections, says Taravari.

Taravari believes he has realistic chances to advance to the runoff and hopes for the support of not only the votes of ethnic Albanians but other ethnic communities as well, noting that the undecided voters are always the target.

"Although the Albanian voter is our biggest target in general, I realistically expect good support from ethnic Macedonians, Bosniaks, Turks as well. At the end of the day, the voter is the one who decides, votes and gives his/her trust to someone. I know partisan people vote for the party but 40 percent of people are not part of any party and are still undecided. The target is always the undecided voters and they decide who wins," says Taravari.

According to him, European integration remains the main task for the country in this period, whereas the president's role is to push that process to end sooner.

"I would not like to see 2008 again, when we failed to join NATO and waited for a decade afterwards. The first thing that the head of state should do is receive guarantees from Brussels that the constitutional changes are the final requirement and that the country's Union accession will move faster after their adoption," notes Taravari.

The president can facilitate and be the catalyst for faster integration. The president should be a person beyond any party and provide internal cohesion. I believe the president's first visit should be in Brussels - to ensure that this is the final requirement so we know that integration will be faster after we adopt the constitutional changes. We should ask for a guarantee from Brussels that our path will accelerate right after the constitutional changes, in order to join the European Union by 2030," says Taravari.

He notes that the process of adopting the French proposal should have been more transparent and inclusive, whereas the president should have summoned parties over the issue.

"If the president did this and asked for feedback, I believe that we would now talk about adopted constitutional changes and already started EU accession negotiations," says Taravari.

I have said that 2022 was a huge mistake when it comes to the French or the European proposal and relations between Macedonia and Bulgaria. I think this process should have been more inclusive and transparent. If the president summoned all parties and asked for feedback, resulting in a joint product, and this goes especially for major parties of ethnic Macedonians, I believe that we would now talk about adopted constitutional changes and already started EU accession negotiations. We need transparency and inclusion from the president if we want the country to work and have internal cohesion - ethnic, political and any other," says Taravari.

He adds that since the Constitution is being opened, it might be good to think about a new constitution, since a lot of constitutional changes have been made in the meantime and the document does not correspond to reality He sticks to the position that the head of state should be elected in Parliament and that he/she should be given more authorities.

"We have a parliamentary political system. If we want, we could have a presidential system, but for Macedonia and Balkan states in general, the parliamentary system is a better option, at least according to experts. The president should have the current authorities, but they could possibly enlarge in the fields of foreign policy, influence on cohesion and certain laws, judiciary... We should open this debate and the best time to do this is during elections and debates among candidates. I think we should talk openly about these topics in order to come to a product that is acceptable for all," says Taravari.

He expects a change in the political scene of ethnic Albanians on April 24, adding it is good for DUI and the country that the party goes into opposition.

"For me, it is very important to keep my word and bring change, a new generation of politicians. I believe that the change will happen in the Albanian political bloc after 22-23 years this April 24 and May 8," notes Taravari.

Prime Ministers have changed in the ethnic Macedonian bloc on 3-4 occasions while same group of politicians remains in the ethnic Albanian bloc. It is good for DUI to go into opposition for a while. A party is not a party if it has never been in opposition. This is good for the country as well, because they are embedded in all institutions, and this has a toxic effect. In addition, we will see a new generation of ethnic Albanian politicians. Gostivar and Tetovo are examples of good management compared to our predecessors from DUI. Therefore, I respect Mr.Sela's position to continue together with DUI. We will lead our own political battle in order to keep our word," stresses Taravari.

On him joining the opposition bloc of ethnic Albanians, Taravari says this is the only way to bring change in the ethnic Albanian bloc and remove DUI from power, because Albanians have voted against DUI since 2011.

"I said that if we run alone, we can only take a few seats, so will the Albanian opposition, but DUI will win. I said that the only way to bring change is for the Alliance of Albanians to join the opposition (of ethnic Albanians), since Albanians in Macedonia have been voting against DUI since 2011. Why? In 2011, the parties of Rufi Osmani, Menduh Thaci and Imer Selmani had about 20,000-30,000 votes more than DUI but they could not find a common ground. In 2016, Besa and the Alliance of Albanians again had more votes than DUI between them," says Taravari.

Regarding the coalition of Ziadin Sela's AA wing with DUI, Taravari says it is his legitimate right but what is more important is the consistency of the politicians' positions, adding that AA's cause since its formation has been to bring about change in the ethnic Albanian bloc.

"The Alliance of Albanians started off as a faction of DPA in 2014-2015. We believed back then that we cannot continue with the DPA leader, who is still at the helm of that party, because of his cooperation with DUI and his role of a false opposition. We came out and said that we are different and we should really bring change. We gradually developed as a party and won over the opposition-minded voters. Our work culminated in 2020, when together with Alternativa we won 12 MP seats and three municipalities, but our cause throughout this period was a change in the ethnic Albanian bloc, an opposition to DUI," explains Taravari.

Regardless of who is elected president, he says, I want to see the country at the EU accession finish line in five years from now, a country-model on the Balkans, attracting many investments, having functional institutions trusted by citizens, a country where wages will be close to the European level, thus stimulating citizens working abroad to come back to their homeland.

Biljana Anastasova-Kostikj

Translated by Ivan Kolekjevski

Photo: MIA

Video: Andrej Brankovikj and Vladimir Rabasovikj