• Sunday, 07 July 2024

Zaev: Government coalition is stable, not time for early elections

Zaev: Government coalition is stable, not time for early elections
Skopje, 25 October 2021 (MIA) – The Government coalition is stable, communication is straightforward, it is legitimate that everyone fights for votes, says SDSM leader Zoran Zaev after coalition partner Besa said Monday it would support opposition Alliance of Albanians in the election runoff. Zaev told Sitel TV he is not disappointed by the fact that coalition partners LDP and DOM haven’t publicly urged their voters to give their support to the coalition candidates in the second round of the local elections. He says there are differences with coalition partners but fight against corruption, judiciary reforms, Euro-integration are the things that unify them. “This is the beauty of a democracy and freedom. The coalition shares common values and this is our unifying factor. It is important to mobilize all voters whom we share the same values with,” says Zaev. According to him, the regime would come back if voters stayed at home. “We did not suffer a defeat at the hands of VMRO-DPMNE but from those who stayed at home. Some punished us because of inefficiency and appointments but I believe we have changed our approach during the campaign. Sitting at home means complete support for our opponent,” notes Zaev. He believes SDSM will see a visible difference in votes in the City of Skopje, Chair, Karposh and Centar. Zaev says he would not be able to lead the Government if SDSM lost in Skopje, since the opposition would obstruct the policies of the central authorities, while adding it is not the time to have early parliamentary elections. He says the parliamentary majority is safe, adding that the next two-and-a-half years are once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to develop the economy and validate prior achievements. “All big issues are now resolved. We don’t have any open ethnic issues at home, no open issues with neighbors – the five points with Bulgaria are identified and addressed. I believe that we will have enough time from the end of the November 14 elections in Bulgaria to the General Affairs Council session to finish this and get the first intergovernmental conference,” underlines Zaev.