|
The
looming
referendum
Reality
Macedonia
(Sep
28,
2004) (RM)
By
Jason
Miko
- Earlier
this
month,
according
to
the
Macedonian
Information
Agency,
EU
Special
Representative
to
Macedonia
Michael
Sahlin
said
"If
this
country
keeps
dealing
with
interethnic
issues,
it
will
divert
the
attention
from
the
necessary
structural
and
economic
reforms,
which
naturally
means
a
waste
of
precious
time.
Solving
of
these
issues
in
conformity
with
the
Framework
Agreement,
which
we
support,
will
lead
the
country
to
harmony,
creating
conditions
for
dealing
with
the
essential
problems."
Sahlin
is
prescient
in
his
assertion
that
if
the
country
keeps
dealing
with
interethnic
issues,
then
attention
is
diverted
away
from
what
is
really
needed:
economic
reform
and
jobs.
Which
leads
me
to
this:
Why
does
the
international
community
keep
putting
the
Ohrid
Framework
Agreement
before
jobs
and
the
economy?
And
is
DUI
(and
DPA
for
that
matter)
a
single-issue
party?
Are
their
"rights"
the
only
thing
which
matters?
Why
is
it
that
we
never,
ever
hear
Ali
Ahmeti
–
or
many
other
politicians
for
that
matter
–
talking
about
jobs
and
the
economy?
Of
course
the
balance
of
Sahlin’s
comments
was
directed
toward
the
Framework
Agreement,
getting
past
the
referendum
and
how
the
referendum
has
the
potential
to
set
back
the
Framework
Agreement.
While
the
Agreement
may
be
set
back
a
bit
if
the
referendum
succeeds,
it
won’t
be
the
end
of
the
world.
The
Framework
Agreement
has
not
kept
to
all
of
its
deadlines
so
far
and
the
world
has
not
ended.
The
census
was
delayed,
the
local
elections
were
delayed
and
other
aspects
of
it
have
been
delayed.
One
more
delay
won’t
bring
into
question
the
agreement
either.
Most
who
are
supporting
the
referendum
support
the
Ohrid
Framework
Agreement.
We
don’t
hear
anyone
talking
about
scraping
it
and
starting
over
again
(accept
for
Arben
Xhaferi).
And
the
fact
that
there
is
a
referendum
at
all
points
to
a
failure
of
the
government
to
take
into
account
the
wishes
of
the
citizens
in
the
very
first
place.
The
late
President
Boris
Trajkovski,
in
his
December
18,
2003
annual
address
to
parliament,
had
this
to
say
about
the-then
upcoming
law
on
territorial
division:
"However,
what
is
especially
important
is
not
only
the
formal
fulfillment
of
the
obligations
assumed
under
this
Agreement;
but
most
of
all
the
genuine
intent
and
certainty
of
the
people
that
the
offered
solutions
are
fair
Namely,
the
creation
of
new
municipalities
should
be
based
on
prospects
for
prosperity,
not
on
ethnic
prejudices
or
political
interests.
The
European
Convention
on
Local
Self-government
explicitly
states
that
possible
new
municipal
borders
should
not
be
drawn
against
the
will
of
local
population,
because
this
concept
is
aimed
at
establishing
equality,
not
dominance
of
one
group
over
another;
and,
of
course,
at
providing
more
democracy,
not
less.
That
is
why
I
am
convinced
that
the
three
laws
on
decentralization
should
result
in
a
large
political,
interethnic
and
social
consensus.
Any
other
approach,
favoring
mechanical
collection
of
the
necessary
parliamentary
votes
over
the
will
of
the
majority
of
the
electorate
would
be
contrary
to
the
principles
that
guided
us
in
Ohrid,
contrary
to
the
long-term
interests
of
the
country,
and
contrary
to
the
very
essence
of
democracy."
According
to
the
Southeast
European
Times
(a
web
site
produced
and
paid
for,
by
the
way,
by
the
U.S.
Department
of
Defense),
"A
senior
US
diplomat
warned
on
Thursday
(16
September)
that
rejection
of
Macedonia's
new
territorial
organisation
laws
in
an
upcoming
referendum
would
‘run
counter
to
the
word
and
spirit
of
the
Framework
Agreement,
which
calls
for
fair
opportunities
for
minority
communities
as
the
basis
for
an
integrated,
multiethnic,
democratic
Macedonia."
Compare
what
this
‘senior
US
diplomat’
said
with
President
Trajkovski’s
belief
that
the
mechanical
collection
of
the
necessary
votes
for
the
laws
on
decentralization
and
territorial
division
(which
is
what
happened)
would
be
counter
to
the
principles
of
Ohrid.
The
two
statements
are
diametrically
opposed.
So
who
is
correct?
My
money
goes
with
Trajkovski.
I
am
so
tired
of
this.
The
pomposity
and
arrogance
coming
from
certain
parts
of
Europe
and
the
States
is
nothing
less
than
breathtaking.
The
cloaked
threats
coming
from
the
seats
of
power
in
certain
capitals
around
the
world
that
if
the
referendum
succeeds
then
Macedonia
will
be
behind
are
just
that:
threats.
They
are
not
promises.
They
cannot
be.
There
is
no
way
that
the
EU
would
hold
Macedonia
back
if
the
referendum
succeeds.
In
fact,
they
would
need
to
re-double
their
efforts
to
bring
Macedonia
into
the
EU
fold
for
they
know,
as
well
as
anyone,
that
Europe
will
not
be
complete
until
it
is
united.
And
that
includes
Macedonia.
Let
me
close
with
words
spoken
by
President
Trajkovski
regarding
the
voices
of
the
people,
who
vote
the
politicians
into
office
and
who
can
vote
them
out
of
office.
"Both
as
a
politician
and
as
a
man
I
have
always
considered
that
without
the
strength
coming
from
the
people
directly,
the
leadership
cannot
do
anything
historically
important
for
its
country."
Now
is
the
time
for
the
people
to
speak.
Jason
Miko
is
a
free
thinker
and
an
independent
advisor
and
has
lived
and
worked
in
and
around
the
Balkans
for
over
eight
years
and
with
them
for
eleven
years.
The
views
expressed
herein
are
wholly
his
own.
He
can
be
reached
at
janos@earthlink.net.
Source:
Vreme,
#200,
September
28,
2004
(Direct
link)
©
2000
RM
-
Reality
Macedonia.
All
Rights
Reserved.
This
material
may
not
be
published,
broadcast,
rewritten
or
redistributed
in
any
form
except
with
the
prior
express
permission
of
Macedonian
Information
Agency.
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