Skopje, 3 September 2024 (MIA) - The no confidence motion against Speaker Afrim Gashi is set to be discussed at Tuesday's first plenary session after the Parliament's summer recess. The motion was initiated by the Levica parliamentary group and, according to announcements, it will be backed by the opposition SDSM, whereas VMRO-DPMNE and coalition partner 'Worth It' will not give their support. 

The Parliament Speaker told a press briefing on August 27 that the no confidence vote will be the first item on the agenda of Tuesday's session. He said at the time that the no confidence motion against him lacks political arguments. "I hope facts will be presented before the plenum decides. I believe the majority will make a just decision. Whatever it will be, I will honor it,” stated Gashi. 

In an interview with Sitel TV on Monday evening, Gashi said he would like to ask every Member of Parliament, including fellow 'Worth It' coalition members, to decide on their own belief and with a clear conscience during Tuesday's parliamentary no-confidence vote.

"The no-confidence vote is a democratic tool that allows us to be accountable to the MPs and the citizens," Gashi said.

"I will honor any decision made by Parliament. It is good for us all to have different opinions. That is the essence of democracy. It would be bad if there was a single-mindedness," he noted, adding that he expected to be also given a chance "to explain some things that have been presented to the public." 

"I will elaborate on everyting as it was, and I hope that the MPs will decide according to their conscience. My soul is at peace and my conscience is clear that I have done nothing to cause this public hysteria," he said, adding that the no-confidence motion had been moved "over trivial topics of some media who want likes and comments on social networks."

Gashi said he had not overstepped his authority in any way, and lawmakers would have their say on it during the vote of no confidence in him. He said he was convinced that the truth would come out.

VMRO-DPMNE's parliamentary group would not support the no confidence motion against Speaker Gashi, said Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski on Monday. According to Mickoski, there is no basis for the interpellation of Parliament Speaker Afrim Gashi.  

“Our position as VMRO-DPMNE and as the parliamentary group of the ‘Your Macedonia’ coalition led by VMRO-DPMNE is that this is immature, I would even say stupid behavior by the SDSM, DUI and Levica coalition and there is absolutely no basis for an interpellation of Speaker Gashi. We won’t support such a motion,” PM Mickoski said on Monday.

He noted they have numerous arguments why they are not supporting the interpellation of Speaker Gashi.

"The difference in the way this Government leads Macedonia as opposed to the Government of SDSM and DUI is enormous, in fact this can already be felt and all over Macedonia you can note that the citizens hope that we will finally succeed, that we’ve had enough defeats, and we will finally start winning,” said Mickoski. 

'Worth It' coalition’s coordination political body on Sunday also gave unreserved support to Parliament Speaker Afrim Gashi ahead of Tuesday’s no confidence vote in Parliament.

They called the initiative “a pointless political experiment and a destabilization attempt.”  

"The no confidence motion is a direct attack on state institutions and the Euro-Atlantic integration process of the country. The motion, filed by the anti-NATO party Levica, with open support from SDSM and a concealed one from DUI, is in fact a test of a wider opposition coalition to the detriment of the strategic interests,” the coalition said in a press release on Sunday.

SDSM leader Venko Filipche said Monday he personally believes the motion should be supported.

"My personal position is that the interpellation of the Speaker of Parliament should be supported since many violations happened, and we were the ones that let the public know about these things. The institutions also identified the violations of certain rules regarding the behavior of officials," said Filipche. 

The Levica parliamentary group initiated the no-confidence motion against Parliament Speaker Afrim Gashi for "unprincipled" conduct in office, giving seven arguments, elaborated on ten pages, on why he should be removed from his post. According to Levica, the Parliament Speaker has violated the secularity of the state by leading a group prayer in Parliament. Levica also said the Speaker had violated diplomatic security rules, when Gashi's security detail chief "practically caused a diplomatic scandal" at the Skopje International Airport, in the case involving Kosovo's President. Grounds for Gashi's removal from the post of Parliament Speaker also include violations of the use of the Macedonian language in Parliament. 

Photo: MIA archive