MACEDONIA
Balkan meeting of the Liberals

The internal part of the conference. At the end of the table left to right: Jovan Manasievski, Chairman of the LDP, Dr. Wolfgang Sachsenroeder, FNF, Emil Kirjas, Secretary-General of LI

With the participation of the Liberal International, the ELDR, the Dutch Liberal Party VVD and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Liberty a meeting of liberal partners took place in Skopje, whose primary aim was to intensify the regional co-operation between the liberals of the West Balkans and from Southeastern Europe. In this closed part of the meeting discussions with partners from the region were held, especially with Gjerj Dedaj, Vice-Minister for Labour and Social Policy in the new government of independent Kosovo. The discussion topics were the recent development in Kosovo and the chances of a reconciliation between the Kosovo Albanians and the Serbs. Dedaj, whose superior, the Minister for Labour and Social Policy, is of Serbian origin, manifested his optimism regarding the future perspectives of the new government and the new state. Nevertheless, significant doubts regarding the legitimacy of the unilaterally proclaimed independence in a European perspective were expressed. Their potential dangerous effect in some EU member countries, like Spain and Great Britain came also into the debate.

On the podium left to right.: B. Raeva, MEP Bulgaria, Cristian David, Minister of the Interior Romania, Djevdet Chakarov, Minister of the Environment Bulgaria, Emil Kirjas, LI General Secretary, Jovan Manasievski, LDP Chairman, Professor Pusic, Croatia

In the public part of the meeting Macedonia's LDP Chairman Jovan Manasievski opened with a brilliant speech the unofficial election campaign of the party. With approximately 400 participants in the overcrowded hall the LDP could show the media that the party intends to stay an active player on the political stage despite the not encouraging survey data of the last weeks. Politicians from neighbouring countries, who came to attend the closed conference part, expressed their support through their presence on the podium, e.g. the Romanian Minister of the Interior Cristian David from the PNL, the Bulgarian Minister of Environment Dr. Djevdet Chakarov from the BFR, Biliyana Raeva, MEP of the NBFS and Professor Vesna Pusic, Chairman of the National Council for European integration in Croatia. Moreover, the presence of a Greek representative from the recently founded Liberal Alliance in Greece was an encouraging signal for the fact that the veto of Greece did not mean a suspension of Macedonia´s entrance in NATO and the European Union, but hopefully only a not too long delay. All guests on the podium, presented skillfully by the LDP board member and LI General Secretary Emil Kirjas, expressed their sympathy and support for Macedonia and the LDP and received long applause from the Macedonian participants.

The invitation for NATO membership, which Macedonia did not receive at the Bucarest Summit, had as expected strong political effects relating to domestic affairs. On 12 April, after three-day-long heated debates, the Parliament itself declared suspension of its activity. The preliminary parliamentary elections were scheduled for 1 June. The official election campaign begins already on 12 May. All parties are under enormous time pressure, in order to decide about possible electoral coalitions and the lists of candidates.

21 April 2008 (Dr. Wolfgang Sachsenroeder)