Friday, 30 November 2012
ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT VELJANOSKI AT “THE ROLE OF THE POLITICAL PARTIES IN THE ELECTION PROCESS” - CONFERENCE ORGANIZED BY THE OSCE MISSION TO THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
Distinguished colleagues Members of the Assembly,
Distinguished Ministers
Your Excellences, ladies and gentlemen
None of the modern democracies can give up on functioning of the political parties. This democratic anchor has been present aside from the diverse tendency against the political situation, the political quarrels and the party- political activities. The person with the desire to be positioned above the parties and say that he/she is lead by only by the state-political needs, is denying oneself and others. These persons often present their views as a pure professionalism in the same time attempting to discredit others’ opinions as a “party policy” or “ideological”.
This trans- party opinion, in the words of Gustav Radburh is “life lie of the grand’. Still, as contradictory as it seems, in the end, the parties assist in decreasing the dilemmas of the collective political activities in a society. Without the parties, there will be no dilemmas, which is not good, or there will be too many, which is not good either since this path leads to anarchy.
The serious role granted to the political parties in the modern society requires appropriate social and state responsibility. It requests consequences in their continuous behaviour, especially during the first class political event in the modern society- the elections. These Conferences are a useful opportunity for an open debate on the role of the political parties, through the prism of key promoters of the democratic values, as a bridge between the Macedonian citizens and the institutions, creators of the political culture, as well as key factors providing successful election process in the competitive Macedonian society.
Let us remind ourselves of the fact that the parties are not object of the political system alone, but they are also an entity that causes changes in that system. The political parties, through the policies and messages they send in the prior the elections, directly influence the atmosphere of fair and democratic elections. The constructiveness and the lack there of in the political parties influences the behaviour of the electorate. The party leaders with their messages and actions influence the behaviour of the members and supporters.
The political parties, as a “voice channel” of the people take on the convictions and reflections for the partial as well as for the general, for the goals, worries, wishes and needs of the people. In this context, the responsibility of the political entities before the Macedonian citizens and the Republic of Macedonia in the execution of fair and democratic election process is certain and grand. The respect of the people’s will the respect of the election result is also an unambiguous, holy obligation of each political entity.
The disrespect of this obligation means that the elections would be an aimless waste of state credibility and resources. That is why the obligation for fair and constructive behaviour is double sided, both prior and after the elections.
Through their activities, the parties attempt to follow their priorities, to achieve their goals and to benefit as much as possible. Still, the party desire and declaration of the democratic behaviours must surpass the wish to will the elections at any cost. The one that desires to lead the people must respect them. The trust essentially is the key chain in the success of each segment of the community and the state in general. The political parties can gain it, but also loose it. Once lost, it’s hard to take it back. That is why the program definition and precision of the political programs and messages, accountability and public responsibility are inevitable consequences of every election cycle. In this context, allow me to sum up that the reform and the promotion of the election legislation should go hand in hand with the transformation of the consciousness and opinions, and most of all with the behaviour of the political entities.
In the past period the reform of the election system, which resulted in the adoption of the Election code, covering all election cycles was executed in the Republic of Macedonia.
The Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia permanently participates in the creation of a legal framework which regulates this area in a modern manner. Recently, the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia adopted the Law Amending the Election Code, promoting the special international standards for the election. In accordance with the OSCE/ODIHR recommendations, the Election Code emphasises the priority recommendations in the area of developing mechanisms for protection, which shall ensure sufficient division of the state from the party structures, clarification and exceeding the flaws and ambiguity of particular provisions of the Election code and the financing of the election campaign.
In this context, in addition to the Election Code, the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia adopted the Law Amending the Law on Financing the Political parties, in direction of transparency and public financing of political parties.
The amendments arose from the remarks of the Final Report of the Monitoring Mission of OSCE/ODIHR from the latest parliamentary elections in 2011, as well as GRECO recommendations.
Allow me to seize this opportunity and to express appreciation to the OSCE/ODIHR Monitoring Mission for the continuous remarks and the successful cooperation, as well as to the Representatives of the European Union and USA for their partnership and dedication in the implementation of the higher election standards in the Republic of Macedonia.
Thank you.