Post by MiG on Apr 10, 2008 23:56:26 GMT -5
Macedonia president urges government to reach compromise with Greece
SKOPJE, Macedonia (AP) - Macedonian President Branko Crvenkovski urged the country's lawmakers late Thursday to scrap plans for an early general election and instead resolve a dispute with neighbor Greece that has halted efforts by the former Yugoslav republic to join NATO.
«There will be always the time for elections, but there is no time
anymore for missed chances,» Crvenkovski told Parliament.
«Without a compromise with Greece over the name, there will be no NATO, there will be not accession talks with the European Unions,» he said. All of that, he added, would be bad for Macedonia.
The plea was made as members of Macedonia's 120-member Parliament debated a motion to dissolve the assembly and hold a general election two years ahead of the scheduled date in 2010.
The debate was expected to be extended through Friday.
Conservative Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski favors a quick election following Greece having blocked NATO membership for Macedonia last week at a NATO summit in Romania.
Greece argues the country's name implies a territorial claim to a northern Greek province also called Macedonia.
It is unclear what effect early elections would have on efforts to resolve the name dispute or on the country's NATO aspirations.
Crvenkovski said Macedonia needed political stability, adding that there was room to compromise with Greece in a negotiation process guided by the United Nations.
«I do not think that every proposal will be acceptable for us. We need a solution that would not endanger Macedonia's identity and integrity and that will introduce Macedonia in NATO and EU», Crvenkovski said.
He said talks with Greece should continue for the «future of our citizens».
VMRO-DPMNE, the party heading Gruevski's coalition government, said it would support the motion to dissolve parliament because the squabbling among its members needs to end.
Sixty-one votes are needed to carry the motion that would mandate an election within two months.
«There are many reasons for early elections, but the main (one) is parliament's inefficacy and inability to meet the promises we have made,» Gruevski said.
Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki, a senior VMRO-DPMNE party official, argued an early election would increase Macedonia's chances of meeting requirements to join NATO and the European Union. He insisted that an early election would not endanger U.N.-mediated talks over resolving the name issue.
Opposition Social Democrats strongly oppose a snap election, arguing it will hinder the country's NATO membership efforts.
SKOPJE, Macedonia (AP) - Macedonian President Branko Crvenkovski urged the country's lawmakers late Thursday to scrap plans for an early general election and instead resolve a dispute with neighbor Greece that has halted efforts by the former Yugoslav republic to join NATO.
«There will be always the time for elections, but there is no time
anymore for missed chances,» Crvenkovski told Parliament.
«Without a compromise with Greece over the name, there will be no NATO, there will be not accession talks with the European Unions,» he said. All of that, he added, would be bad for Macedonia.
The plea was made as members of Macedonia's 120-member Parliament debated a motion to dissolve the assembly and hold a general election two years ahead of the scheduled date in 2010.
The debate was expected to be extended through Friday.
Conservative Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski favors a quick election following Greece having blocked NATO membership for Macedonia last week at a NATO summit in Romania.
Greece argues the country's name implies a territorial claim to a northern Greek province also called Macedonia.
It is unclear what effect early elections would have on efforts to resolve the name dispute or on the country's NATO aspirations.
Crvenkovski said Macedonia needed political stability, adding that there was room to compromise with Greece in a negotiation process guided by the United Nations.
«I do not think that every proposal will be acceptable for us. We need a solution that would not endanger Macedonia's identity and integrity and that will introduce Macedonia in NATO and EU», Crvenkovski said.
He said talks with Greece should continue for the «future of our citizens».
VMRO-DPMNE, the party heading Gruevski's coalition government, said it would support the motion to dissolve parliament because the squabbling among its members needs to end.
Sixty-one votes are needed to carry the motion that would mandate an election within two months.
«There are many reasons for early elections, but the main (one) is parliament's inefficacy and inability to meet the promises we have made,» Gruevski said.
Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki, a senior VMRO-DPMNE party official, argued an early election would increase Macedonia's chances of meeting requirements to join NATO and the European Union. He insisted that an early election would not endanger U.N.-mediated talks over resolving the name issue.
Opposition Social Democrats strongly oppose a snap election, arguing it will hinder the country's NATO membership efforts.
Source: www.pr-inside.com/macedonia-president-urges-government-to-r531011.htm