Skopje, 1 May 2024 (MIA) - VMRO-DPMNE presidential candidate Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova says she will pardon the persons who were sentenced for the storming of the Parliament on 27 April 2017, while her opponent Stevo Pendarovski, incumbent President and SDSM candidate, says amnesty should not be given for such an act.

In a duel on Telma TV, Siljanovska-Davkova says the qualification of the crime is a disaster.

"Those who were violent are free. There are people who did not want amnesty but wanted to seek justice, there are people whose cases are heard by the Strasbourg court. I have the right to pardon and based on the analysis of law and justice, I will use that facility," says Siljanovska-Davkova.

Pendarovski says Siljanovska's previous claim that she would pardon everyone has been modified.

"I understand if someone is not guilty or should be given a lesser penalty, but you are saying that all those involved in the April 27 events will be pardoned. How can you pardon for such an act? First an apology and then a broad societal debate on the possible amnesty," says Pendarovski.

Asked if the Parliament storming was a violent act, Pendarovski says it was violence organized by the then-party in power and an attempt for violent overthrow of the constitutional order.

"It is not a democratic act if you prevent peaceful transfer of power," notes Pendarovski.

Siljanovska-Davkova says there was violence and people should be tried for that, but it was far from a terrorist overthrow of the constitutional order, a qualification that was chosen on purpose in order to result in the most severe punishment.

Photo: Screenshot