Rupel on visit to Macedonia

Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel has called for a peaceful re-run of the Macedonian parliamentary elections. Rupel, who is also the president of the EU’s General Affairs and External Relations Council, arrived in Macedonia two days ahead of a re-vote in certain parts of the country. Rupel on visit to Macedonia He will meet with Macedonian Foreign Minister Anonio Miloshoski, Prime Minister Nikola Grueski, President Branko Crvenkovski, and Interior Minister Gordana Jankulovska. He will also meet representatives of Macedonian political parties. He is due to bring them a message from the EU that the re-run should pass off peacefully and without incident, and in accordance with European standards for free and fair elections. Rupel is expected to give an assessment of the Macedonian elections at a meeting of the EU Council of Ministers on Monday. This will also be the final meeting of the Council during the Slovenian EU presidency, and according to the Slovenian press, the presidency has promised Skopje that it will find out the exact date when Macedonia’s EU membership negotiations will begin, a date the country has been waiting for since 2005. The country could receive the exact date after the European Commission’s autumn report on Macedonia’s progress towards the EU. Election re-votes will be held at 196 polling stations following the irregularities and violence that marred the original ballot on June 1. In parts of Macedonia mostly populated by ethnic Albanians, one person was killed, eight injured and many were arrested. Because of the violence and electoral irregularities, the Macedonian Electoral Commission decided to repeat voting at these polling stations. The OSCE and the Council of Europe stated that “at the elections, which generally passed off well, the state failed to live up to international democratic standards.”

Rupel on visit to Macedonia

He will meet with Macedonian Foreign Minister Anonio Miloshoski, Prime Minister Nikola Grueski, President Branko Crvenkovski, and Interior Minister Gordana Jankulovska.

He will also meet representatives of Macedonian political parties. He is due to bring them a message from the EU that the re-run should pass off peacefully and without incident, and in accordance with European standards for free and fair elections.

Rupel is expected to give an assessment of the Macedonian elections at a meeting of the EU Council of Ministers on Monday.

This will also be the final meeting of the Council during the Slovenian EU presidency, and according to the Slovenian press, the presidency has promised Skopje that it will find out the exact date when Macedonia’s EU membership negotiations will begin, a date the country has been waiting for since 2005. The country could receive the exact date after the European Commission’s autumn report on Macedonia’s progress towards the EU.

Election re-votes will be held at 196 polling stations following the irregularities and violence that marred the original ballot on June 1.

In parts of Macedonia mostly populated by ethnic Albanians, one person was killed, eight injured and many were arrested.

Because of the violence and electoral irregularities, the Macedonian Electoral Commission decided to repeat voting at these polling stations. The OSCE and the Council of Europe stated that “at the elections, which generally passed off well, the state failed to live up to international democratic standards.”