Skopje, 2 April 2024 (MIA) – All presidential candidates, except for GROM’s Stevcho Jakimovski, signed Tuesday the Code for Fair and Democratic Elections at the State Election Commission (SEC).

Jakimovski said he would respect the Code, but wouldn’t sign it unless SEC guarantees it will organize debates involving all candidates, he also said campaign funds weren’t fairly distributed

“We, the participants in the electoral process, oblige ourselves to respect all laws, rules and regulations relevant to the elections and to respect the rule of law during the organization and holding of the elections. We, the participants in the electoral process, unequivocally oblige ourselves to not exert any pressure or attempt to exert any pressure on employees in the public administration and in the state administration in other institutions financed by the State Budget, the budgets of the municipalities and the City of Skopje, as well as companies and enterprises with state capital,” states the Code.

With the Code, the participants also unequivocally oblige themselves not to use hate speech and discriminate on the basis of sex, and not to threaten the employment or social security of anyone on the basis of their support for any political party or candidate.

At the signing ceremony, current President and SDSM’s candidate Stevo Pendarovski voiced his belief that the country has the sufficient institutional memory and political culture in order for the candidates to maintain a high level of debate and ensure the process is fair and democratic.

“I am convinced that the process will be democratic. I can publicly state too that I will not use the listed unfair or illegal tools, methods, instruments and state resources, and that from beginning to end, I will operate within the frameworks of a fair, cultured and decent political debate,” Pendarovski said.

VMRO-DPMNE’s Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova assessed the signing as a ceremonial act and “normative and moral illusionism”, but noted she would personally use arguments in the debates and respect all candidates.

“I will speak with arguments about the program and I will respect all candidates, especially the other female candidate. It is good that there are two of us, since this is already a step forward and a guarantee that women’s rights are human rights as well, and that women too are able to compete for high state positions,” Siljanovska-Davkova said.

GROM’s Stevcho Jakimovski said this morning he learned the master debate organized by President Stevo Pendarovski’s campaign staff had been called off, and said he wouldn’t sign the Code if there are no debates.

“It’s really strange that for the local elections we have three debates where we talk about sewage, waterworks and parks, while we have not a single debate when we are talking about important issues of state. I am sad I have to say this. I will respect the Code, but if we have no debates I won’t sign anything,” Jakimovski said.

DUI’s Bujar Osmani said he would strive for a positive campaign, stressing they will approach the issues important for the country in a fair manner. 

“I have never used an unfair approach in any political race, nor have I used a negative campaign in this race. I see the political race as a race of alternative options that we have to present to the citizens during the election campaign, and allow them to decide after that on the basis of the offer,” Osmani said.

Levica’s presidential candidate, Biljana Vankovska stressed that while she doesn’t believe in the Code, she would sign it and requested that TV channels organize debates with all of the presidential candidates.

“I will sign this Code without any second thoughts. However, since I have the opportunity, I feel a need to say that I don’t believe in this piece of paper. These are empty words on paper in a country in which the Constitution or laws aren’t being followed. We will all say nice words here over the kind of campaign we expect, that it will be on the highest moral, personal, ethical level, however, the reality is something else, and all of you from the media know this,” Vankovska said.

Presidential candidate Arben Taravari, supported by the opposition coalition of parties of ethnic Albanians named “Worth It”, voiced hope that the coming elections will be the most fair and democratic elections yet.

“I see the signing of the Code as a positive act, with which we all promise we will follow the ethical and moral aspect and norms regardless of whether they are contained in law or not. I think we are still fairly far from where we aim to be – to hold elections as in the European countries, but we are much better than when we held elections 20-30 years ago,” Taravari said.

The presidential candidate supported by the ZNAM Movement, Maksim Dimitrievski, said he would participate in public events with all presidential candidates and voiced hope that democracy would win at the coming double elections

“As a candidate, I will participate in all public events that I am invited to, regardless of who is organizing them. It will be my honor and satisfaction, to especially discuss all topics openly in front of the Macedonian public with the two most favored competitors in these elections. It is a fact that we don’t all have equal rights and opportunities, even though the Constitution guarantees this,” Dimitirevski said.

Photo: MIA