EU Calls on Macedonia to Adhere to Przino Agreement to Resolve Crisis

The European Commission has called on all political parties in Macedonia to find a common agreement that serves all citizens in order to resolve the political crisis in the country.

The cancellation of snap general election initially set for June 5 “is a renewed opportunity for the country to address a number of serious issues at the heart of the prolonged political crisis,” the EU executive said in a statement  on Wednesday.

Macedonian lawmakers on Wednesday backed a ruling by the country's election watchdog under which the snap election would be indefinitely postponed. Macedonia has been rocked by a political scandal over the past months, with some political parties and thousands of protesters demanding that the snap vote be postponed. 

The Commission highlighted that the conditions for elections “were not there” and urged all political parties to preserve and respect the Przino agreement which they agreed last year.

“This framework remains the best way to move the country out of the current crisis. Work should continue to prepare for credible elections as well as on the urgent reform priorities, through an inclusive process,” the Commission said.

The Commission also said that pardons granted to 56 people implicated in a wiretapping scandal by Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov last month should be rescinded without delay to preserve the principle of accountability and “avoid selective justice”.

“All sides should avoid interventions that risk undermining years of efforts within the country and by the international community to strengthen the rule of law,” the Commission said.

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