Macedonian Presidential Elections - 2019

[Carlin]

Pendarovski declares victory, says it guarantees EU will allow Macedonia to open accession talks

URL:

https://english.republika.mk/news/macedonia/pendarovski-declares-victory-says-it-guarantees-eu-will-allow-macedonia-to-open-accession-talks/

Stevo Pendarovski declared victory in the presidential elections, as the official count went over 90 percent and he maintained a lead of about 60.000 votes against Gordana Siljanovska – Davkova.

My people, I thank you. I thank you Macedonians, Albanians, Roma, Turks, Bosniaks, Vlachs and the others, who decided that we should continue forward in crystal clear elections. This is a dignified win for our wise people, regardless of its ethnic or political background, we united go forward, said Pendarovski.

The SDSM – DUI candidate made a point to say a few words in Albanian, a bow to the fact that, while he clearly lost the ethnic Macedonian vote, near unanimous voting by those ethnic Albanians that turned out in his favor delivered him the winning margin. Pendarovski echoed comments from Zoran Zaev and Ali Ahmeti, and said that his win means that the European Union will now reciprocate and give Macedonia a date to open accession talks.

The outcome guarantees our path forward to the EU and NATO alliance. We emerged from the dark and the depths. We go forward together, Pendarovski said.











NATO Envoy Wins North Macedonia's Election After Name Change

By Slav Okov
May 5, 2019

URL:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-05-05/nato-envoy-wins-north-macedonia-president-vote-after-name-change

The man coordinating North Macedonia’s upcoming NATO membership won the country’s presidential election, defeating a candidate who opposed a name-change that opened the way to western integration.

Stevo Pendarovski got 52 percent in Sunday’s ballot, according to the Electoral Commission, with 99 percent of polling stations counted. Nationalist opposition candidate Gordana Siljanovska Davkova had 45 percent.

The vote was a test for efforts to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union for the country, which is caught in a tug-of-war for influence between Russia and the West. Pendarovski, a former presidential policy adviser supported by Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, has pledged to push the nation of 2 million further toward EU entry after it received green light to join the military alliance in February.

"The result of this presidential election means a guaranteed path forward for all of us as people, as families, as a country in the communities of NATO and the European Union, where we belong," Pendarovski said after declaring victory.

Siljanovska Davkova also said she wanted to further integration, but she campaigned on opposing a name-change deal with neighboring Greece that was a key condition for the accession talks.

Zaev came to power in 2017 after ousting Nikola Gruevski, a former premier and head of the VMRO-DPMNE party who has since fled to Hungary to avoid a jail sentence for abuse of power. The premier leads a coalition with the Democratic Union for Integration, a party representing ethnic Albanians -- about a quarter of the population whose support was seen as crucial for Pendarovski’s win.

While the post is mostly ceremonial, the president grants government-forming mandates and can veto laws, powers that can either ease or obstruct the country’s efforts to build deeper ties with richer EU states.

Lawmakers in all NATO members are now in the process of ratifying the accession protocol for North Macedonia to follow its regional peers Montenegro, Albania and Croatia into the military club. Slovenia and Croatia are already in the EU, while Serbia, Albania and Montenegro have applied, with the first one expected to join sometime next decade.

[Niko777]

Live results here: https://rezultati.sec.mk/mk-MK/1/r

[Rogi]

Pendarovski has won with the most votes overall, with a margin of about 60k votes.

While Siljanovska got more votes in most/all dominantly Macedonian electorates, it wasn't by a sufficient enough margin to counter the very one-sided Albanian vote for Pendarovski.

Interestingly, Pendarovski got 20k more votes than he did in 2014 when he lost, however Siljanovska has 200k votes less than Ivanov had in 2014 - of course, the coalition structure among the parties supporting the candidates is radically different.

Severna is now cemented, as is the language law. What a hopeless, purposeless place.

[Gocka]

The turn out in Macedonian majority districts vs Albanian majority districts is almost 2:1 on a percentage basis. Just look at ohrid and struga, the are right next to each other only difference is one has a lot more Albanians than the other. Interesting.

[Carlin]

30,15 ОТСТО ИЗЛЕЗНОСТ ДО 15 ЧАСОТ, НАЈМНОГУ ВО КРИВА ПАЛАНКА – 52,61 ОТСТО, НАЈМАЛКУ ВО ЖЕЛИНО – 9,03 ОТСТО

URL:

https://sdk.mk/index.php/naslovna/30-34-otsto-izleznost-do-15-chasot-najmnogu-vo-makedonski-brod-49-45-otsto-najmalku-vo-zhelino-9-03-otsto/

До 15 часот на гласање во вториот круг од претседателските избори излегле 30,15 отсто од избирачите, соопшти Државната изборна комисија. Од обработени 99,39 отсто од 3.512 избирачки места, тоа се 541.885 гласачи од вкупно 1.808.131 граѓани со право на глас.

За да биде избран претседател во вториот круг, потребно е да гласаат 40 отсто од избирачите, односно 723252 гласачи. Во првиот круг, излезноста до 15 часот беше 28,2 отсто, или 507.129 гласачи. Избирачките места се отворени до 19 часот.

„Гласањето тече мирно, непрекинато и без неправилности“, велат од ДИК.

Најголема излезност по општини има во Македонски Брод – 49,45%, Крива Паланка – 52,61%, Демир Капија – 49,17% и Демир Хисар – 48,09%., а најмала во во Желино – 9,03%, Боговиње – 10,49% и Центар Жупа 11,96%.

Во Ново Село и Охрид денеска се одржува и вториот круг од изборите за градоначалник.

[Soldier of Macedon]

Turkish, Bosniak, Vlach (Партијата на Власите во Македонија) parties come out in support of Siljanovska

URL:

https://english.republika.mk/news/macedonia/turkish-bosniak-vlach-parties-come-out-in-support-of-siljanovska/

Several ethnic minority parties today called on their supporters to vote for Gordana Siljanovska – Davkova for President on Sunday.

Given that most of the politicians representing these minorities voted in favour of changing the national identity of the Macedonian state, I find their support for the “law and constitution” as genuine as that of the traitors amongst our own ranks.

[Carlin]

Turkish, Bosniak, Vlach (Партијата на Власите во Македонија) parties come out in support of Siljanovska

URL:

https://english.republika.mk/news/macedonia/turkish-bosniak-vlach-parties-come-out-in-support-of-siljanovska/

Several ethnic minority parties today called on their supporters to vote for Gordana Siljanovska – Davkova for President on Sunday.

A vote for Stevo Pendarovski is a vote for Zoran Zaev and all the crimes and corruption associated with him, along with his erosion of the state and violation of the dignity of all its citizens. By voting for professor Gordana Siljanovska – Davkova, we support the rule of law and the Constitution, said Mite Kostov Papuli, head of the Vlach Party of Macedonia.

A similar voice of support for Siljanovska was given by Erdogan Sarac, leader of the Party of Turkish National Dignity in Macedonia. “If we want a state based on the rule of law, we must all vote for Gordana Siljanovska Davkova”, Sarac said.

The Democratic Bosniak Party condemns the SDSM led Government for lying over the date to begin EU accession talks, its corruption and nepotism and failures to initiate reforms in the education and healthcare systems.

The SDSM led Government failed to initiate a single reform, didn’t build a meter of new roads, didn’t bring a single new foreign investment and spurred emigration out of our country. It created a lawless state that can’t reform itself and weak economy, the Democratic Bosniak Party says in its press release.


The other Vlach party (Демократскиот сојуз на Власите од Македонија) came out in support of Pendarovski:

https://24info.mk/%D0%B2%D0%BB%D0%B0%D1%81%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B5-%D1%81%D0%BE-%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%B4%D1%80%D1%88%D0%BA%D0%B0-%D0%B7%D0%B0-%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%B2%D0%BE-%D0%BF%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B4%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B2/

[Risto the Great]

Macedonia needs some one who objects this agreement outright, some one who wants to tear it apart.

Macedonia doesn't need that person. We in the diaspora do.

Macedonia is getting precisely what it wants. NATO entry and EU accession is what they think they needed and that is about it. I think the entire nation wants it but they don't dare say it. And, given the condition of the country, the slave mentality and the desperation of the people, I think they would accept anything in exchange for NATO/EU.

We in the disapora have been looking at the Northadonians as if they think the same as us. They never will and both sides need to learn this.

[Big Bad Sven]

Her challenge amounts to potentially whinging about it to the international community with no stated intention to reverse the betrayal. We already had Ivanov for that. In any case, if Pendarovski manages to mop up Reka's voters it's a done deal. Mickoski and the other DPNE idiots put up an uninspiring candidate whose patriotism is superficial at best, so the current result is no surprise. Add a largely dormant and indifferent population, and even if she wins nothing will change for the better. Macedonia is doomed by those northern traitors.

Lol at her useless double speak. She is basically saying

‘I am against the prespa agreement and will one day change it, but right now I respect the deal and some of its not so bad’

Macedonia needs some one who objects this agreement outright, some one who wants to tear it apart. But they don’t have a politician like this, and it seems the majority of the population doesn’t care as well.
Also, its funny seeing the ‘bojkot’ ‘movement’ happen again, because it really worked well for you guys before. Hope they are happy with another SDSM globalist or worse a shiptar.

No direction, no plan, no spirit or heart – absolutely nothing of value in that horrible country and people

[Soldier of Macedon]

The deal emerged as the main campaign issue of the presidential contest. Siljanovska vowed to challenge the agreement in the international court of justice in the Hague. She said that as a constitutional law professor, she would “respect” the deal but also “will do my best to show that some of the solutions are against Macedonia’s constitution and against ... the norms of the United Nations.”

Her challenge amounts to potentially whinging about it to the international community with no stated intention to reverse the betrayal. We already had Ivanov for that. In any case, if Pendarovski manages to mop up Reka's voters it's a done deal. Mickoski and the other DPNE idiots put up an uninspiring candidate whose patriotism is superficial at best, so the current result is no surprise. Add a largely dormant and indifferent population, and even if she wins nothing will change for the better. Macedonia is doomed by those northern traitors.

[Carlin]

just found this website: https://rezultati.sec.mk/en-US/1/r/all that is showing live results, looks like sdsm won although very close.

North Macedonia presidential election goes to runoff as name change divides

Turnout in vote regarded as a fresh say on country’s name change too low to deliver decisive result, say officials

URL:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/22/north-macedonia-presidential-election-goes-to-runoff-as-name-change-divides

A presidential election in North Macedonia that gave voters another chance to express an opinion on their country’s new name will go to a runoff after turnout in the first round was too low for any candidate to win outright, election officials said.

The runoff on 5 May is inevitable because election law requires a candidate to get 50% plus one of registered voters to be elected in the first round. The state electoral commission reported the turnout on Sunday was 41.9%.

With about 97% of polling stations reporting results, Stevo Pendarovski and Gordana Siljanovska Davkova were in a close contest for the most support, the state electoral commission announced shortly before midnight (2300 GMT). Pendarovski, the joint candidate of the ruling Social Democrats and 30 other parties, held a slight lead from the unfinished tally, receiving 42.68% of the partial vote to Siljanovska’s 42.55%.

The main conservative opposition VMRO-DPMNE party backed Siljanovska, the first woman to run for president in the country.

Blerim Reka, a candidate supported by two small ethnic Albanian political parties, had 10.4% in the latest returns. All three candidates for the largely ceremonial presidency are university professors.

North Macedonia was previously known as Macedonia. The name change took effect in February as part of an agreement to end a decades-long dispute with Greece.

In exchange, Greece said it would stop blocking the former Yugoslav republic’s path to membership of Nato and the European Union. Greece had opposed its young northern neighbour gaining international recognition, asserting sole rights to the Macedonia name.

Outgoing president Gjorge Ivanov, who couldn’t seek re-election due to term limits, tried to derail or delay the deal with Greece that gave rise to the name change.

The deal emerged as the main campaign issue of the presidential contest. Siljanovska vowed to challenge the agreement in the international court of justice in the Hague.

She said that as a constitutional law professor, she would “respect” the deal but also “will do my best to show that some of the solutions are against Macedonia’s constitution and against ... the norms of the United Nations.”

Pendarovski said after he voted in the capital of Skopje that he expected North Macedonia to become a full member of Nato and the EU. He said he was a strong supporter of the deal with Greece that “fully preserves the national interest of both countries”.

Reka expressed hope that North Macedonia would “prove that it is ready for the start of the accession talks with the European Union.”

More than 3,000 domestic and about 420 international observers monitored the election. Domestic election observers said the election proceeded calmly.

North Macedonia’s struggles include a stagnant economy, more than 20% unemployment and pervasive corruption. At least 400,000 people, most of them young, have left the country in the past decade.

[Carlin]

ЗАЕВ: ГЛАСОВИТЕ ЗА РЕКА ЌЕ ДОЈДАТ НА КОНТОТО НА ЗАЕДНИШТВОТО

URL:

https://makpress.mk/Home/PostDetails?PostId=285729

Премиерот Зоран Заев и лидер на СДСМ, партијата која застана зад претседателката кандидатура на Стево Пендаровски вечерва на прес-конференцијата по првиот круг од гласањето изрази уверување дека во вториот изборен круг гласовите на граѓаните кои го дале својот глас за кандидатот Блерим Река ќе дојдат на контото на заедништвото и контото кое води напред.

На прашањето зошто оние во првиот круг што го поддржале Река во вториот би го поддржале него, Пендаровски рече оти е јасна разликата меѓу концептот што тој го промовира и концептот што го промовира неговата противкандидатка. Неговиот концепт, како што рече, има поголема шанса да допре до граѓаните Албанци. Тој нагласи оти Силјановска спроведува 19 вековен националистички концепт.

Според него,концептот на неговата противкандидатка којшто е поддржан и од лидерот на ВМРО-ДПМНЕ Христијан Мицкоски е етноцентричен и во него нема место за ниту една етничка заедница освен за Македонците. Додаде дека во неговиот концепт има место за сите.

Заев се надоврза оти тој е реален и јасно му е дека се уште има граѓани кои гласаат по етничка основа, но додаде дека во вториот изборен круг очекува оти граѓаните коишто го дале својот глас за Блерим Река ќе дојдат на контото на заедништвото и контото кое води напред.

Истакна доколку кандидатот Стево Пендаровски загуби макар и со еден глас тој е подготвен за предвремени парламентарни избори.

-Тоа го кажувам толку силно и отворено затоа што сум убеден до небо дека ќе победиме, рече Заев.

Во врска со малиот цензус во општините каде што доминатното население се етнички Албанци и дали тоа значи дека ДУИ не испорачала, Заев рече дека сите политички партии направиле се што е во нивна моќ и оти граѓаните се граѓани и „никој не ги носи гласачите во џебот“.

-Секој граѓанин одлучува тоа што е најдборо за него, за неговото семејство, за неговата земја, рече Заев и додаде дека граѓаните на сите избори испраќаат различна порака потсетувајќи оти сме заборавиле да имама исклучиво само претседателски избори.

Тој додаде оти е мошне важно да се избере вистинскиот претседател и оти со позитивна кампања во вториот круг уште повеќе ќе се зголеми поддршката за Пендаровски.

На новинарско прашање да дадат коментар за тесната разлика меѓу Пендаровски и Силјановска во првиот круг од гласањето, Заев истакна оти треба да се земе предвид дека изминатиот период беа донесени многу важни одлуки за иднината на државата што, како што рече, бара храброст, а со тоа се отворија перспективите и конечно земјата нема отворени билетерални спорови.

– После сите овие храбри одлуки еве не со победа во првиот круг. Секој глас е важен и јас сум убеден.Согласно корпусот на гласови, а се надевам дека во вториот круг ќе излезат уште поголем број гласачи и дека со тоа разликата ќе биде уште поголема. Мнозинството граѓани јасно дефинираа во кој правец треба да чекори нашата земја, рече Заев додавајќи дека секако не смеат да бегаат од слабостите, односно некои граѓани очекувале поголеми резултати во економската сфера.

Премиерот и претседател на СДСМ истакна дека кандидатката поддржана од ВМРО-ДПМНЕ Гордана Силјановска Давкова воопшто не се осврнала на еднаквоста во државата.

-Сериозни етнички заедници во нашата држава не ги интересира, веројатно играа на карта на национализмот и тие ќе си го носат својот ризик играјќи на картата на квази национализам и квази патриотизам. Вистински патриот е оној којшто носи храбри одлуки за државата, не за својата партија, не за своја лична добробит, рече Заев.

[Niko777]

There was also mayoral election in Ohrid, SDSM's candidate seems to have won

[Gocka]

Looks like Pendarovski may still win despite low turnout and losing a nice chunk of votes to Reka.

Shocking I guess no one wanted to vote for a hypocritical old bag and a bunch of fake Patriots. Maybe dpmne can finally fuck off and die and leave some room for real Patriots rise

Update.

Pendarovski wins first round, will probably win the run off as well, considering he will get at least some of the Albanian votes from Reka

[Carlin]

Without trying to sound like a conspiracy theorist, I believe many of the Albanians actually boycotted, under the direction of Albanian political leaders, who didn't actively, or whatsoever, back Pendarovski's campaign.

Both DUI and SDSM have an interest in a low turnout this election and that's why I believe they have run a silent boycott campaign, and made sure there are essentially no other elections (local, parliamentary) coinciding with the Presidential election, to help make sure the turnout stays low. It's also why they've had bots trolling online egging the patriotic Macedonians to also boycott.

For SDSM, the lower the overall turnout, the lower the potential defeat, but more importantly, the more legitimate the 630k "yes" votes in the referendum appear, particulalrly given their main opposition, VMRO-DPMNE, called for massive voter turnout.

For DUI and DPA, the low turnout, for them ideally below 40% (and it may come close to that), the more likely they are to push through their agenda to again change the constitution, so that the President is elected by the Parliament. This was one of their Tirana platform demands and an idea they have publicly called for. It means with balkan political horse trading, they can get a President, which is one of their goals.

That's an interesting take but I'm not sure I agree with it. How do these numbers compare to the boycott during the name referendum? Are they similar?

Based on the initial results many of the Albanians actually voted for Blerim Reka (see below).

ДИК: Пендаровски во водство пред Сиљановска – Давкова

Според податоците од Државната изборна комисија кандидатот за претседател Стево Пендаровски е во благо водство пред Гордана Сиљановска Давкова.

https://kanal5.com.mk/articles/373763/dik-pendarovski-vo-vodstvo-pred-siljanovska-davkova

Според податоците на страницата на Државната изборна комисија, Пендаровски води со 41,5 проценти од гласовите, Гордана Сиљановска Давкова има 37,68 проценти, а Блерим Река 16,9 проценти од гласовите.

Овие податоци се однесуваат на девет проценти од преброените гласови, односно 13 проценти од гласачките места.