Skopje, 9 April 2024 (MIA) - SDSM leader Dimitar Kovachevski said on Tuesday that if he wins a second mandate as prime minister, he will have a much more careful approach in the selection and appointment of human resources to manage institutions.

In a statement to media, Kovachevski said that as prime minister during an energy and economic crisis, he focused more on managing the crisis than addressing the personal behavior of government individuals.

"Was everyone's behavior appropriate? No. Some behaved inappropriately in regards to political occasions and the political environment. Did the ministers, including those from DUI, and I work hard? Yes, because we worked during a great economic and energy crisis and I can only offer words of praise to Minister Bytyqi, a member of my party, also Fatmir Besimi, Kreshnik Bekteshi, Jovana, Azir Aliu, a top expert who prepared the draft-laws on public administration reforms and submitted them to Parliament," Kovachevski noted.

Without revealing whether he would form a coalition with DUI if he wins a second mandate, he pointed out that together they made tough decisions for the country which allowed it to become a NATO member and start accession negotiations with EU.

"DUI and VMRO-DPMNE were in coalition for 11 years, during which the country ended up becoming a captured state. DUI later formed a coalition with SDSM and we had to make tough decisions for the country to become a NATO member and start EU negotiations with a protected Macedonian language, culture and identity," Kovachevski stressed.

He added that he agrees with the U.S. Ambassador's statement regarding corruption in the country and noted that SDSM's election program offers 41 measures for justice reforms, prepared at his request, in cooperation with EU. 

"As a government, we prepared the Law on Sanctions, which we submitted to Parliament. The caretaker government withdrew it, then held meetings and 15 minutes later said that they never withdrew it, but returned it to the president of the Foreign Policy Committee who stashed it away and never put it up for vote," Kovachevski said, adding that the other political parties that blocked the adoption of the law should also be asked the same question.

He reiterated that the EU integration process is the only process that can bring positive change in the fight against corruption and the rule of law.

"I see fatigue amongst citizens regarding the European integration process. To be honest, sometimes I feel the same fatigue because Macedonia is a country that had to make the most difficult and most numerous decisions in the process of joining the EU. On the other hand, many citizens want Macedonia to be part of the EU. The EU integration process is the only process that can bring about major positive changes in our country, including improved rule of law, and fight against corruption," Kovachevski stressed.ssh/ad/

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