Macedonia Needs People-Serving Governance

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  • Tomche Makedonche
    Senior Member
    • Oct 2011
    • 1123

    Macedonia Needs People-Serving Governance

    The new political leadership must ensure Macedonia’s future is free of corruption and founded on the principles of accountability, transparency, equality and justice.


    Macedonia Needs People-Serving Governance

    The new political leadership must ensure Macedonia’s future is free of corruption and founded on the principles of accountability, transparency, equality and justice.

    With a new government in place after three years of political deadlock, Macedonia’s political leadership now has a real opportunity to put in place reforms that could ensure the country has a sustainable and democratic future.

    Zoran Zaev, the newly-elected prime minister and leader of the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia, SDSM, and his coalition partners will inevitably face many challenges in fixing the country’s many ills.

    He has inherited a nation more deeply divided than ever with public trust in politicians, democracy and the justice system at an all-time low. Ethnic discord between Macedonians and ethnic Albanians has been manipulated to such a degree that extremist views have almost become the norm.

    Eradicating corruption, promoting freedom of information and expression, fostering economic prosperity, guaranteeing the rule of law, delivering gender justice and bridging ethnic divisions need to be among the key priorities of the new government.

    Resolving ethnic discord will be one of the most pressing tasks Zaev faces. Having mustered a parliamentary majority by forming a coalition with key ethnic Albanian parties following the December general election, President Ivanov initially refused to grant him the mandate to form a new government.

    Citing Zaev’s coalition deal with ethnic Albanian parties as grounds to refuse the mandate – Ivanov claimed the concessions granted to the Albanian groups would harm the public interest – the president eventually backed down after a violent clash in parliament led to intensified international pressure to resolve the crisis.

    A public discourse dominated by nationalist and extremist views is tremendously damaging to the country. Common sense and decency must prevail with extreme opinions isolated. Observers underline that mass propaganda campaigns aimed at exploiting already tense ethnic relations have fanned the flames of nationalism.

    These events have profoundly wounded and divided both the nation and the Macedonian diaspora worldwide.

    Focus on corruption

    I am resolutely convinced that for Macedonia to develop sustainably, there must be an immediate and renewed focus on eradicating all forms of corruption.

    It is without question that corruption disproportionately impacts the most vulnerable in society. Corruption discourages domestic and foreign investment, deteriorates economic growth and undermines the rule of law.

    Zaev himself has pledged his government will take a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to corruption, and public expectations will be high given he began releasing wiretap recordings that indicated thousands of Macedonians were illegally wiretapped by government in a mass surveillance operation.

    The recordings suggested systematic and deep-seated corruption within the public and private sectors, interference within the judicial system, electoral fraud and abuse of government power at the hands of Nikola Gruevski – the former prime minister and leader of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organisation-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity, VMRO-DPMNE, party – and his cabinet.

    It is important to note that Macedonia’s major ethnic Albanian political party, the Democratic Union for Integration party, DUI, had been in a coalition government with VMRO-DPMNE since 2008.

    The scale of the eavesdropping operation and the explosive nature of the tapes shocked the nation – public faith in governance plummeted further.

    According to Transparency International’s annual global corruption perception index, Macedonia dropped almost 30 places in just two years. Ranked 64th in 2014, it was ranked 90th in 2016, giving Macedonia a lower ranking than Ghana, Kuwait, Zambia and Panama.

    While Zaev has already announced the formation of a special court wing that will focus on processing high-level corruption cases launched by the Special Prosecution, SJO, establishing an independent, national anti-corruption agency should be a priority. The agency should assist with monitoring, investigating and fighting corruption in government but also in the public and private sectors.

    The new government also needs to greatly improve public financial management and auditing systems if it is to reduce the misappropriation of resources, limit financial waste, reduce corruption and begin rebuilding people’s trust in government.

    No longer should the people wait and suffer the consequences of inexperienced governance or pay the cost for the few that sit at the helm of the country, and no longer should self-serving interests trump the progress of all citizens. As an increasingly integrated community in Europe, Macedonia stands at a crossroads, and now more than ever requires expert individuals at the core of all decision-making processes.

    Servants of the people

    It seems that so much of our politicians’ energy appears to be misused on progressing personal and party interests, and very little seems to be aimed at developing the country and helping its citizens. Many of Macedonia’s past and present MPs have not led by example and double standards continue to be the norm. Citizens must be empowered to hold government accountable and must be free to shine a light on corruption without fear of intimidation of marginalisation.

    With careful planning, implementation and governance, Macedonia can become a successful and prosperous nation operating within the framework of democratic principles and the rule of law that is governed by a transparent and people-serving government. For this to transpire, it is of vital importance that members of the new government are assembled based on their expertise, credentials and experience, and not simply selected based on party alliance.

    Zaev can put reforms in place that ensure all future governments are transparent and free from corruption, and that they are held accountable for all decisions made for and on behalf of the people.

    The newly-formed government must be reminded that to govern within the framework of a true democracy they must consider and make all decisions in the public’s best interests, including public appointments, without regard to party political, personal or other non-nation serving considerations.

    Moreover, all citizens must be treated equally and no individual, institution or organisation should have special treatment or influence. Evaluating the ongoing performance of public officials and the entire government is the key to developing and maintaining an accountable and transparent government.

    Future governments must be made responsible for placing citizens at the centre of all decision-making for the sustainable and inclusive development of Macedonia. It is critical that every Macedonian citizen, irrespective of ethnicity, gender or class, feels that they have equal opportunities, access to decision makers, and a direct involvement in Macedonia’s future.

    Finally, Macedonians themselves must unite and work together towards building a brighter future, free of corruption and creating a society that is based on the principles of accountability, transparency, inclusivity, equality and justice.

    Michael Penevski is president of APAI – Australia, ASIA & Europe (Investment Banking, Private Equity & Property), CEO (Corporate & Projects Advisory) of Nexus Law Group – Australia & ASIA, Specialist Consultant in law, corporate governance and compliance, Macedonian political observer and a member of the Australian Macedonian diaspora.
    “There’s a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious, makes you so sick at heart, that you can’t take part, you can’t even passively take part, and you’ve got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels, upon the levers, upon all the apparatus and you’ve got to make it stop, and you’ve got to indicate to the people who run it, to the people who own it, that unless you’re free, the machine will be prevented from working at all” - Mario Savio
  • Phoenix
    Senior Member
    • Dec 2008
    • 4671

    #2
    To quote from a classic Aussie movie...

    "Tell him he's dreamin"

    I think 3 words contained in Penevski's professional background description, such as "law", "governance" and "compliance" are totally foreign to probably every single member of Macedonia's political class.

    Comment

    • Skolovranec
      Junior Member
      • Mar 2017
      • 52

      #3
      Originally posted by Tomche Makedonche View Post
      Zaev himself has pledged his government will take a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to corruption
      He can start by removing himself from the government equation first, if that's the case.
      Anti-EU Pro-Guns National-Libertarian Trekkie Minarchist
      Anti-NATO Pro-United MK Agnostic Secularist Magick Occultist
      Anti-UN Pro-Military Meritocratic Integrationist Altruistic Socio-Darwinist
      Anti-Globalist Pro-Choice Intellectual Pirate Spiritual Vagabond

      Comment

      • Karposh
        Member
        • Aug 2015
        • 863

        #4
        Originally posted by Phoenix View Post
        To quote from a classic Aussie movie...

        "Tell him he's dreamin"

        I think 3 words contained in Penevski's professional background description, such as "law", "governance" and "compliance" are totally foreign to probably every single member of Macedonia's political class.
        "It's the vibe of the thing" Phoenix...It's all about the vibe.

        Comment

        • Risto the Great
          Senior Member
          • Sep 2008
          • 15658

          #5
          You realise that guy was the fella who came here guns blazing about how he was gonna sort out Mike Rann a few years ago. Then promptly faded. Very UMD associated back then. MP was his name on the forum I believe.
          Risto the Great
          MACEDONIA:ANHEDONIA
          "Holding my breath for the revolution."

          Hey, I wrote a bestseller. Check it out: www.ren-shen.com

          Comment

          • Risto the Great
            Senior Member
            • Sep 2008
            • 15658

            #6
            Perhaps he can give some examples of "A public discourse dominated by nationalist and extremist views".
            Risto the Great
            MACEDONIA:ANHEDONIA
            "Holding my breath for the revolution."

            Hey, I wrote a bestseller. Check it out: www.ren-shen.com

            Comment

            • Phoenix
              Senior Member
              • Dec 2008
              • 4671

              #7
              Originally posted by Karposh View Post
              "It's the vibe of the thing" Phoenix...It's all about the vibe.
              "...it's the constitution, it's Mabo, it's justice, it's law, it's the vibe..."

              (Speaking of Mabo, sometimes I think the shiptari consider parts of Macedonia, Terra Nullius...)

              Above all, it should be about the serenity...

              Great movie, watched it just recently, still got a laugh out of it.

              (sorry to our non-Australian friends who are having a WTF moment right about now :lol)

              Comment

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