Latest News & Developments

[DraganOfStip]

This is DPMNE's delegation at a recent conference in Sofia,Bulgaria.
They obviously come from Skopje and not the Republic of Macedonia.
All hail the true patriots.

[Risto the Great]

Greeks would have walked out.
Ours take it, they are experts at taking it.

[DraganOfStip]

You know,in a way DPMNE remind me of this story my grandpa (god rest his soul) used to tell me when i was a kid.

A farmer bought a fruit tree and planted it in the middle of his orchard.He was told that it's fruits were the sweetest there were and he focused his attention to it,neglecting his other trees (watering,fertilizing,treatment...) because he wanted to taste these fruits as soon as possible and see for himself how good they were.
So in time the tree grew bigger and stronger and grew some fruit.And they really were tasty and sweet as he was told.But in a short while the tree stopped giving fruit.The farmer started to water it and fertilize it even more in order to get a hold of some more of this wonderful fruit, but it simply wouldn't produce.Each year he would say to himself "OK,this year it didn't grow fruit but next year I'll take better care of it and it will."
Years passed.The tree grew bigger and bigger and soon it's shadow covered all the other fruit trees in the orchard and they stopped thriving and producing fruit too due to the lack of sunlight.But even then the farmer refused to lose hope and stubbornly continued to take care of it.
That's when my grandpa would say to me,"if you were that farmer,you'd know what to do,wouldn't you? How long would you wait to do it?"

Except here,DPMNE never really produced any "fruit" in the first place.They just got the best spot in the orchard with empty promises.

[Risto the Great]

I agree, all Macedonian politicians should be cut up and used for firewood.

[Tomche Makedonche]

http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/macedonia-to-evaluate-damage-from-colorful-protests-06-14-2016

Macedonia to Count Cost of Paint Ball Protests

The government has ordered an evaluation of the damage done to official buildings and monuments as a result of protesters' paint balls - further annoying the protesters themselves.
Sinisa Jakov Marusic

As anti-government protesters count the days until a Saturday deadline for the fulfillment of their demands for change, the government has told the Bureau of Court Forensics to evaluate the damage done to buildings and monuments from more than two months of protests that have became known for their use of paint balls.

The government in a press release said it had given the Forensics Bureau 30 days for “an evaluation of the damages done to the administrative buildings of state institutions, of municipalities, monuments, squares and other buildings in Macedonia.”

During the protests that were sparked by the recently withdrawn presidential pardon of 56 top politicians, most of whom come from the ruling VMRO DPMNE party, many buildings and monuments that were symbolic of the ten-year rule of the party were pelted with paint balls or sprayed with toy water guns filled with paint.

Among the buildings that have been "painted" in this way are the government HQ, the parliament, the Skopje city administration building, the Foreign, Justice and Culture ministries, the Constitutional Court, the State Prosecution Office and others.

Among the most frequent targets were also the monuments that form part of the grand government-sponsored revamp of the capital known as “Skopje 2014”, which critics see as a waste of money in one of Europe’s poorest countries.

The new triumphal arch, monuments that were placed opposite the parliament, the giant equestrian statue of Alexander the Great as well as one expensive bronze bridge fence were all repeatedly painted.

Protesters called the move to assess the cost of the paint ball attacks a deliberate provocation.

“What about the damage done by this government?” Zdravko Saveski, a participant in the protests and one of the leaders of the recently formed leftist Levica party, asked.

“The government is the last one with any right to evaluate damage,” he said.

Saveski, who spent 45 days in house detention in relation to charges that he participated in a mob attack on May 12 and 13 on the President’s office in Skopje, said the move was “yet another attempt to intimidate protesters”.

A political science professor at the state Sts Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Ana Cupeska, told Plus Info news portal that painting facades and monuments “should not be considered as illegal but as an act of defiance against injustice”.

The crisis in Macedonia revolves around opposition claims that the government formerly led by VMRO DPMNE chief Gruevski was responsible for the illegal wiretapping of over 20,000 people, amongst other crimes.

Gruevski, who took power in 2006 and resigned as prime minister earlier this year under the terms of the EU-brokered accord, claims that unnamed foreign intelligence services “fabricated” the wiretapping tapes and gave them to the opposition to destabilise the country.

[DraganOfStip]

How low can DPMNE get in discrediting the protesters?

This morning all government and pro-government media issued a shocking news that 2 ambulance vehicles transporting "life-endangered" patients were stuck at the protesters' blockade on an intersection in Skopje and they had to go around "risking further the lives of the patients by losing valuable time" because the protesters refused to let them through.

However,images taken at the scene show the ambulance vehicles not only empty (no patients whatsoever),but also with a clear path in front of them in order to pass:





Moreover,photos show that the driver of one of the ambulances was a prominent member of DPMNE from the Skopje municipality of Butel (employed in the ER):





How sick do you have to be to abuse emergency vehicles,that by chance might have been in true need elsewhere at that time,for gaining political points and discrediting not only your political opponents but also the random people that came out to show their disagreement?
This is unbelievable and just shows the desperation of the ruling party to hold on to their seats using any possible means.
I am simply stunned.Couldn't believe someone could fall so low...

[DraganOfStip]

Grujo calls for civil war?!

On last night's celebration of DPMNE's "birthday" (26 years of it's forming),Grujo held a somewhat warning speech regarding the current political situation in which he stated:

As much as I and my collaborators are tolerant and sympathetic to solve problems through dialogue and democratic methods, I will not be able to hold the situation under control. The people are near a boiling point and can get fed up and we'll enter into a new phase, which will not be good for the country, least for those who pretend to be some kind of revolutionaries for hard cash and foreign interests...

While also adding that:

...the majority of the people that are not part of the Soros' mercenaries are losing their patience for the crisis to be resolved by democratic methods and require more decisive actions from the party (DPMNE).

By "the majority of the people" I guess he meant his supporters from GDOM (People's Movement for the Defence of Macedonia, the counterprotesters,mostly DPMNE members,sympathizers,and public employees),who gathered this morning in front of the court to express their support for the DPMNE mayor of Bitola Vladimir Taleski (suspect in one of the Special Prosecutors' cases),who is to be placed under house arrest.At the same time they also added that "if the ordered court decisions continue,the people will go inside the court and ask for answers".

Will this lunatic really reach for a civil war in order to keep himself in power?

[Tomche Makedonche]

http://macedoniaonline.eu/content/view/29650/45/

Bailey seeks to recruit judges obedient to US Embassy
Tuesday, 21 June 2016

The US Embassy is seeking to recruit judges that will be obedient and respond positively to all fabricated cases by the anti-consitutional SPO led by Katica Janeva (6.24).

Last night, over 20,000 Macedonians from the GDOM movement gathered in front of the High Court to give courage to the judges not to fall to threats by the SDSM and their sponsors, the US and British Embassies.

"The independence of our Courts means that no judge can carry out their duties if they are being threatened, blackmailed or if they expect to gain a financial or business advantage by ruling in favor of either side. Because of this, you cannot succumb to any pressure, whether internal or external" Justice must be equal for all. It is unacceptable for laws to be applied only to one segment of our citizenry and ignored for others" - stated GDOM in their declaration.

The gathering of GDOM comes as a response to Soros owned media sending an informational probe balloon to see the reaction of the public by stating the US was working to recruit "special judges" that will be independent from the judicial system, which is another anti-constitutional body and yet another illegal institution.

What the US Embassy is essentially recruiting is morally bankrupt judges that will be obedient and de facto help Janeva send MPs from the ruling Government to jail despite not having any evidence of wrongdoing.

Numerous judges have thrown out over a dozen cases brought by SPO team for not having a shred of evidence. Some judges (most recently Pop Stefanova) asked whether the SPO had any knowledge of the law while she threw out Janeva's fabricated case against Janakievski.

The most outrageous example is SPO's fabricated case against Bitola mayor V. Taleski who is being prosecuted for legally charging out of town students a 40 denars transportation fee (90 cents), while the SPO is not prosecuting Strumica mayor Zoran Zaev who is charging out of town students four times higher at 160 denars ($3.75) for the exact same transportation fee.

The Macedonian president Gjorgji Ivanov publicly admitted the US Ambassador Jess Bailey was visiting and phoning Skopje Courts exerting pressure on judges to accept Janeva's fabricated cases against the Government. "This is way outside what is allowed for a foreign diplomat" said Ivanov then.

- The US Embassy also knows the forced upon and illegal insertion of the "Special Prosecution Office" may not last very long. The Macedonian Constitutional Court may cut the cord and end the SPO, as everyone is aware, it is anti-constitutional and unlawful body - reports Dnevnik. To this end, the US wants to replace Marko Zvrlevski who apparently was neither morally bankrupt nor obedient to Bailey, which was a problem moving forward with the final phase of the coup.

Former Court council head Branko Ushkovski says pretty soon we'll need special attorneys, then special MPs. - Even these speculations are quite dangerous. We are putting pressure on judges, trying to separate them on 'good' and 'bad' some serving one cause, others different case. This in itself is pressure that ought to be sanctioned, says Ushkovski.

[DraganOfStip]

...Last night, over 20,000 Macedonians...

Two vital misinformation in a handful of words by MINA.
Firstly, GDOM didn't gather during the night, but in the morning.
Secondly,here are the "20.000" people:

...from the GDOM movement gathered in front of the High Court ...

"Gathered" seems too mild of a word,"pushed" or "pressured" would be more appropriate,since once again the public workers were excused from their working hours and instructed to come via SMS in buses like cattle, as always.
Which reminds me of a story my grandpa used to tell me,about how Tito was manipulated during his visits through Macedonia in the days of Yugoslavia.Tito would come and inspect the countryside and mayors would show him the sheep and cattle in every village.However,when he left,the mayor rounded up those sheep and cattle and brought them in the next village/town Tito visited so that the mayor there would show him how many sheep and cattle they have.And to the next,and to the next...While in fact,Tito was looking at the same sheep and cattle all the time.
Ring any bells?

"The independence of our Courts means that no judge can carry out their duties if they are being threatened, blackmailed or if they expect to gain a financial or business advantage by ruling in favor of either side. Because of this, you cannot succumb to any pressure, whether internal or external. Justice must be equal for all. It is unacceptable for laws to be applied only to one segment of our citizenry and ignored for others" - stated GDOM in their declaration.

Pretty ironic, the above statement coming from GDOM (DPMNE)...

What the US Embassy is essentially recruiting is morally bankrupt judges that will be obedient and de facto help Janeva send MPs from the ruling Government to jail despite not having any evidence of wrongdoing.

Another pretentious & uncorroborated speculation from MINA.
How would MINA know there are no evidence of wrongdoing? Do they conduct the investigations? Do they have insight in the evidence materials?
Oh wait,they're instructed to fabricate crap like this by their employers (DPMNE).My bad.

Numerous judges have thrown out over a dozen cases brought by SPO team for not having a shred of evidence. Some judges (most recently Pop Stefanova) asked whether the SPO had any knowledge of the law while she threw out Janeva's fabricated case against Janakievski.

This is a newly appointed judge that got in office only some 2 months ago(?!),coincidently just around the time the pardons were announced,and suddenly after Ivanov withdrew them she questions the SPO and the judge that previously (before Ivanov's amnesty) accepted the evidence as valid and ruled against Janakievski...
Coincidence?

- The US Embassy also knows the forced upon and illegal insertion of the "Special Prosecution Office" may not last very long. The Macedonian Constitutional Court may cut the cord and end the SPO...

That's what Grujo & co are hoping for now,since their amnesty plan failed and this would be their final,desperate attempt to save their skins from long prison terms.
This is their Alamo,their last stand.
And remembering that it was the Constitutional Court that enabled Ivanov to pardon them (with their express ruling in perfect timing) in the first place,we have a pretty good idea which side they lean toward...
As we Мacedonians say: Кој си ја има мувата на капата, ќе си ја ишка.

[Tomche Makedonche]

Pro opposition protestors call for boycott of Parliament

http://www.mia.mk/en/Inside/RenderSingleNews/61/133226344

Unfortunately for some reason I don't seem able to copy and paste the article in the link here, if any one can, please do.

[Tomche Makedonche]

http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/macedonia-opposition-mulls-freezing-parliament-activities-over-special-prosecution-06-22-2016

Macedonia Opposition Mulls 'Freezing' Role in Parliament

Macedonia's opposition is considering 'freezing' its participation in parliament in support of calls for guaranteed protection of the Special Prosecution, tasked with probing high-level crime.

A senior source from the main opposition Social Democratic Party, SDSM, told BIRN that the party leadership will soon decide whether to temporarily suspend all activities in parliament.

“The sentiment among [opposition] MPs for such a move is positive but our leadership will confirm the decision,” the source said under condition of anonymity.

“This will not be a boycott of parliament, but a move to boost pressure on the authorities to protect the Special Prosecution,” he added.

Opposition parties and anti-government protesters who held a mass protest on Monday in Skopje, fear that the Constitutional Court - which they say is controlled by the head of the main ruling VMRO DPMNE party, Nikola Gruevski - may scrap the recently formed Special Prosecution, in an attempt to protect ruling party officials from the courts.

In an open letter on Wednesday, protesters urged all MPs to refuse to attend future parliamentary sessions until the Constitutional Court bestows protection on the Special Prosecution by ruling that its work is constitutional.

“Legislators, act immediately and have in mind the urgency of the situation and the determination of the citizens not to give up on their envisaged goals,” the protesters wrote.

“By your absence, you should show clearly to the Constitutional Court and the political actors who oppose civic participation in the negotiations [on the political crisis], that there must be no compromise about justice and the democratic direction of Macedonia,” the letter added.

The Constitutional Court last Saturday breached a deadline set by protesters to put this issue to discussion and guarantee that the Special Prosecution's work will not be halted.

The ultimatum, as well as recent Special Prosecution's activities, have meanwhile only fuelled VMRO DPMNE’s campaign against this institution, which was established last autumn as part of the EU-brokered political crisis accord.

The Special Prosecution was established after wiretapped recordings released last year showed that the regular prosecution and the courts act under the influence of the ruling party.

“VMRO doesn’t mind the Special Prosecution, but is against its team, which is failing to do its job,” Ilija Dimovski, an MP and member of VMRO DPMNE’s executive committee, responded on Tuesday.

As his party leader, Gruevski, had done previously, Dimovski accused the Prosecution of working under political instructions from the opposition Social Democrats.

In a speech on Sunday, marking 26 years of his party, Gruevski said the opposition and anti-government movement may soon face "more decisive people's action" from his supporters who have been urging this course on him, and who feel outraged by the “political persecution” of his party.

"The people are getting anxious," Gruevski said, adding that if the "injustice" continued against his party officials, suspected of high-level crime, he may not be able to keep the situation under control.

Last week, the Skopje Criminal Court ordered house detention of Bitola Mayor and VMRO DPMNE member Vladimir Taleski who is a suspect in a case opened by the Special Prosecution called “Transporter”.

It concerns the alleged misuse of €360,000 of budget money transferred to the municipality to pay for the bus transport of pupils.

The list of people investigated by the Special Prosecution is indeed mainly composed of members of the VMRO DPMNE and others seen as close to the ruling elite.

Among them are Gruevski, his former Transport Minister, Mile Janakieski, and his former Interior Minister, Gordana Jankulovska, as well as Gruevski’s cousin, the former chief of secret police, Saso Mijalkov.

The crisis in Macedonia revolves around claims that the government formerly led by Gruevski illegally wiretapped over 20,000 people, among other crimes.

Gruevski, who took power in 2006 and resigned as prime minister earlier this year under the terms of the EU-brokered accord, claims that unnamed foreign intelligence services “fabricated” the wiretapping tapes and gave them to the opposition to destabilize the country.

[Tomche Makedonche]

http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/mass-and-tense-protests-held-in-macedonian-capital-06-21-2016

Tensions High at Mass Protest in Macedonian Capital

Tens of thousands of people showed up at the massive anti-government rally in Macedonia’s capital Skopje on Monday evening - which took place amid high tensions after the authorities missed a deadline to meet key demands.

At Monday night's protest, groups of demonstrators broke the windows of the Ministry of Justice in central Skopje, tried to tear down the bronze statue of Prometheus in front of the parliament building and again threw paint balls at state institutions, which many see as symbols of former Prime Minister and leader of the ruling VMRO-DPMNE party Nikola Gruevski’s regime.

The protest, dubbed “Citizens are Coming for Justice”, organised as part of the ongoing anti-government protests called the “Colourful Revolution”, started traditionally in front of the Special Prosecution, where participants expressed their support for this institution, before heading to the government building as the first stop on its route.

Addressing the crowd, activist Pavle Bogoevski repeated the immediate demands of the protesters, which included guarantees that Macedonia's Constitutional Court will not scrap the Special Prosecution, formed last year to investigate high-level crime, in which many ruling party politicians are allegedly implicated.

Protesters also demanded a formation of a special court that would deal with cases of the Special Prosecution, the formation of a transitional government that would carry out reforms for free elections, the resignation of President Gjorge Ivanov, and for representatives from among their ranks to be included in the process that is now taking place between the country’s political parties and EU auspices to find a resolution to the crisis.

The protest came after the authorities missed a deadline, which expired on Saturday, set by the protesters to meet these key conditions.

During the protest, Radmila Shekerinska, vice president of the opposition Social Democrats, told the crowd of demonstrators: "This crisis has just one ending - justice and responsibility for all. Those who have stolen must be held accountable. The people demand justice and peace and say to Gruevski that it won't tolerate yet another criminal elections."

Prior to the rally, protest organisers and civil activists called for a calm and peaceful protest in an attempt to quash fears that violence may break out, especially if police tried to block the path of the protesters or if the ruling VMRO DPMNE party mobilized its own supporters, but brief incidents of violence did occur.

The protest route took demonstrators past the Ministry of Justice, which protesters again painted, this time in the colour red, and broke some of its windows.

The crowd then moved to the parliament building, where a group of the demonstrators tried to tear down the bronze statue of Prometheus which stands opposite the parliament, but police intervened in the incident, prompting the demonstrators to retreat.

The statue, part of the grand government revamp dubbed ‘Skopje 2014’, is seen to many in Macedonia as a symbol of Gruevski’s nine-year rule.

The crisis in Macedonia revolves around claims that the government, formerly led by Gruevski, illegally wiretapped over 20,000 people, among other crimes.

Gruevski, who took power in 2006 and resigned as prime minister earlier this year under the terms of the EU-brokered accord, claims that unnamed foreign intelligence services “fabricated” the wiretapping tapes and gave them to the opposition to destabilize the country.

[Tomche Makedonche]

During the protest, Radmila Shekerinska, vice president of the opposition Social Democrats, told the crowd of demonstrators: "This crisis has just one ending - justice and responsibility for all. Those who have stolen must be held accountable. The people demand justice and peace and say to Gruevski that it won't tolerate yet another criminal elections."

This coming from SDS is just laughable, will SDS accept any election result with DPNE as the victor?, and if these protestors are meant to be independent of both parties, and are really interested in the pursuit of true justice, how the hell are they allowing this scrag to get up on her pedestal and speak for them?

Taking into account that their demands continue to mirror those of SDS' for the past two months, the credibility of iProtest as being an independent civil movement has been completely shattered in my opinion. Although it may not have begun that way, it appears that it has now evolved into nothing but a radicalised mouthpiece for SDS, who are just as culpable as DPNE (if not more). Such a shame.

[Tomche Makedonche]

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-macedonia-parliament-idUSKCN0Z91FS

Macedonian opposition to boycott parliament over wiretap scandal

Macedonia's main opposition party said on Thursday it was boycotting parliament until the constitutional court rules on the status of a special prosecutor appointed to investigate a wiretapping scandal that has plunged the country into turmoil.

Macedonia has been in crisis since February least year, when opposition parties accused former Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski and his counter-intelligence chief of orchestrating the wiretapping of more than 20,000 people.

The crisis was worsened by President Gjorge Ivanov's decision to pardon 56 officials investigated over the scandal, which led to street protests and the cancellation of an election set for June 5.

Under pressure from the European Union and United States, Ivanov then revoked his decision to pardon the officials, removing an obstacle to possible prosecutions.

In an attempt to resolve the crisis, Macedonia's political parties agreed last year to an EU-brokered accord to hold the early election in June and to establish a special prosecutor's office to investigate allegations arising from the wiretapping.

The office of the special prosecutor is not part of the country's constitution, making it possible for those investigated to question its legality one day and escape prosecution.

The main opposition party, the Social Democrats, which holds 34 seats in the 123-seat parliament, said the constitutional court should rule whether the special prosecutor's office was in line with the country's constitution.

"The constitutional court must immediately give its opinion regarding the special prosecutor," leader of the Social Democrats, Zoran Zaev, told reporters.

Zaev said deputies from his party would not take part in the work of parliament until the constitutional court gives its opinion.

The court has been asked to rule on the matter but it is not on its calendar yet and it is not clear when a decision might come.

The Social Democrats accuse Gruevski and the ruling VMRO-DPMNE party of controlling the media and the judiciary. They say they will not agree to a new election date until conditions for a free and fair vote are created.

(Reporting by Kole Casule; writing by Ivana Sekularac; Editing by Giles Elgood and Alison Williams)

[Tomche Makedonche]

http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/macedonian-protesters-announce-hot-sumer-06-27-2016

Macedonian Protesters Predict 'Hot' Summer

Anti-government protests and guerilla actions will continue during the hot summer months, supporters of the 'Colourful Revolution' say, as politicians mull a fresh election date.

Protesters at Monday’s protest march in Skopje, the latest in almost 80 days of continuous anti-government demonstrations dubbed the “Colourful Revolution”, say they will not let the scorching summer heat dissuade them and stop their movement demanding political change.

“Activities will continue over the summer. They might be in the form of protests, guerilla actions or some other forms,” Zamir Mehmeti, one of the most active participants in the “Colourful Revolution”, which has no official organizers, said.

“We will not cease our activities until our demands are met, the first demand being for the Constitutional Court to rule on the constitutional status of the Special Prosecution [tasked with investigating high-level crime],” Mehmeti said.

Protesters say the Constitutional Court is politically influenced by the main ruling VMRO DPMNE party, and want the Court to guarantee the status of the Special Prosecution, SJO, and so prevent any possible move to abolish it and spare ruling party officials from criminal investigations launched by the SJO.

“People at the protests, and I too, have the energy and the will to continue,” another protester said, adding that “the summer heat and the holidays will not stop us from coming onto the streets and protesting against this criminal government and against injustice.”

Meanwhile, EU and US-brokered crisis talks between Macedonia's warring politicians resumed on Monday in Skopje.

The four main parties, which should soon come up with a new election date, discussed ways to additionally clarify the electoral roll in order to prevent election fraud, as well as ways to implement media reforms to ensure balanced reporting.

Over the weekend, both the main ruling and opposition parties said they were ready for snap polls soon.

“Whatever happens, Macedonia will put an end to this political game and political smear campaign in the next four to ten months. Elections will take place and VMRO DPMNE will win them again,” former Prime Minister and VMRO DPMNE party leader Nikola Gruevski said.

The head of the rival opposition Social Democrats, SDSM, Zoran Zaev, told Radio Free Europe that if reforms are carried out properly to ensure free elections, his party was also ready for polls as soon as possible.

“We are ready for elections," Zaev said, adding that the party's election platform had been ready since last December.

Unofficially, the political parties are considering holding elections in October or November as the soonest option.

Another possible election date mulled in political circles is May next year, in parallel with the regular local elections.

The third option is elections in early 2018, at the regular election date. But some fear that prolonging polls that long would be risky given to the tension caused by the political crisis and the potential for even more trouble.