Skopje, 13 February 2023 (MIA) – As a country we need a stable majority which will ensure rapid development and progress, a majority which will enable important legislation for the citizens to be unblocked without having to wait on the opposition to decide whether the citizens are more valuable than their political interests, said Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski at Monday’s session of Parliament over the Government reshuffle.

“Today we are talking about coming together over the European issue, where VMRO-DPMNE remains eternally isolated against the national interests. Today we know that we have a united European front and I am assured that the most courageous of their MPs will also have the virtue to see the historic opportunity which lies before them,” said PM Kovachevski in his address to the MPs.

Kovachevski stressed that North Macedonia is a multiethnic civil state, with a successful and functional multiethnic democracy which is an example for the region and Europe, and that the citizens want stability, European quality services and a European quality of life.

“I promised to lead the country on the European path, and there is no easy path for a worthy goal. There is only one path, and the choice was made a long time ago, there is no time to lose. For me, for us, there is only one direction and there is no looking to the left or the right. We don’t even think about going back,” said the PM.

The PM said that the Government reshuffle wasn’t motivated by names, and that today’s decisions are not motivated by the narrow party interests of any party in the Government.

“For me these decisions are not tied to, and mustn’t be tied to the desires, motives and requests of any party leadership. Today we are making a decision on how to remain on the only available path for the country. Whether we will remain on the path of progress, stability, certainty, economy, energy, and security or whether we will push the country towards a new crisis and unpredictability, as per the wishes of some internal and external negative factors,” said Kovachevski.

The PM stressed that he made his decision at the very beginning.

“I do not intend to deviate from this path even by a single millimeter. I know exactly what we are doing and what we should be doing, we know how to tell apart good from bad, I know how to tell the difference between the common and the personal, I know precisely what a country and national interests are, and what personal, party or profiteering interests are. I don’t worry about my personal rating. I always choose to place the national interest and the interest of the citizens first,” said the PM.

From the day he became a PM, according to Kovachevski, he said that the Government will always have an open-door policy for all parties and individuals who want and know how to work towards a European present and a future. In that way, he added, we managed to deal and are dealing with the most difficult crisis in post-war Europe.

“Most importantly, despite all internal and external efforts for destabilization, we managed to achieve stability and to maintain our direction. This was all made possible by the beginning of negotiations with the EU and active cooperation with our strategic ally, the United States,” said the PM.

That is why, according to the PM, the need to retain, strengthen and expand the European front was constantly emphasized.

“We have extended a hand to everyone who works for the good of the country and the citizens, regardless if they are a part of the ruling coalition or the opposition. Because it is important that, during a crisis, we all work together for our common interests and the interests of the country,” said the PM.

In times like these, stressed the PM, we mustn’t allow the main discussions to be about positions and appointments.

“Now is a time for the country’s top interests, for us to be united and coordinated and work to show, in a responsible way, that Macedonia is our joint responsibility and obligation. While the citizens will judge and decide about the differences and the options at the next elections – in 2024,” said Kovachevski. 

According to the PM, there are people and structures that want chaos because that is the way in which they function best – by stealing, not working and then running away abroad.

“This is what VMRO-DPMNE and their instructors from Levica are doing. Blocking laws, following foreign anti-state interests, chaos, cheap populism. This doesn’t work and it won’t succeed,” said Kovachevski.

He said he initiated talks over the expansion of the European front with all political parties.

“I offered to keep and expand the parliamentary majority for the sake of those policies and nothing else. I offered national unity for faster and stronger European progress, for a joint strengthening of the Macedonian national linguistic and cultural identity everywhere, which by doing so we managed to make the age-old Macedonian language and historical identity equal to all European nations. In this way we managed to sign the Frontex Agreement as well, which you failed to vote for today,” Kovachevski addressed the opposition.

The PM accused the opposition of remaining stuck “in the decade-long film of crime, struggle for positions, cheap and dangerous populism and the disintegration of the Macedonian fabric.”

He pointed out that over the past period, they discussed the possibility of Alternativa remaining in the Government with the Alliance for Albanians (AA) joining, and that AA accepted the responsibility to support the European front.

“There is room for everyone if they want to join and if they place the national interests ahead of their party interests. There is room for Alternativa, as they already know. There is room for all well-intentioned supporters of the European future of the country. As I said at the beginning, the number and type of positions is secondary,” said Kovachevski.

The PM expressed regret that Alternativa chose to leave the Government and thanked them for the cooperation and reiterated his commitment for joint cooperation in a form and manner that would mean full support for the country’s European path.

“I have my own opinions about the performances of their ministers, as do all the citizens. There is progress and success in all ministries, as there are issues and a need for much more. There are results, but there are also mistakes that must be identified and resolved. But all of this must be done through an objective process without dividing Macedonians or Albanians, because both the successes and the mistakes have names and surnames,” said Kovachevski.

In the area of the rule of law and the fight against corruption, the PM said that they have agreed to carry out a vetting of public officials based on the best European practices and new provisions for public financial control.

“Committed to the concept of a state for all, we will continue to build a society of equal citizens, with equal economic and territorial development. We will reduce the development gap between the regions. We will strengthen the country’s development with an energy transition which will also enable greater environmental protection. The health of the citizens is also among our top priorities, which is why we expect an increase of the efficiency in this area and the improvement of health and medical services,” said the PM.

According to Kovachevski, the Government reshuffle will imbue new energy in the implementation of the Government’s measures and policies. But what is really important is that with this parliamentary majority, he said, they will put an end to all lies and manipulations of the opposition regarding possible early elections.

“Today we are discussing truly important issues. Today we are making changes and that is a good thing. We should not be afraid of changes,” said Kovachevski.

At the beginning of his address, the PM extended his condolences to all those who have lost their loved ones in the earthquakes that struck Türkiye and Syria.

Earlier on Monday, the agenda of the session for the dismissal of Alternativa’s ministers and the election of new ministers and deputies was adopted with 64 votes in favor, out of 115 MPs present. The opposition is actively participating in the discussion at the session as well, and 44 MPs have registered to speak about the first item on the agenda. ad/sk/