Debate over Appointment of new Ministers proceeds in Parliament

The Parliament of Macedonia proceeded on Thursday with the session dedicated to the cabinet reshuffle suggested by PM Zoran Zaev. The session focuses on PM Zaev’s suggestions for new Ministers in the positions which are now vacant in the government. Zaev’ suggestions for the vacant positions are: Sadulla Duraku as Minister of Political System and Inter-ethnic Relations, Naser Nuredini as Minister of Culture, Trajan Dimkovski as Minister of Agriculture, Goran Milevski as Minister of Local Self-Government, and Hysni Ismaili as Minister of Culture. They were elected during the session. PM Zaev announced on Wednesday that he will manage the Finance Ministry till a new Minister is elected. The discussion over the new Ministers quickly turned into a quarrel between the government and the opposition, with the MPs discussing matters such as the situation related to former PM Nikola Gruevski and the case of violence involving Suto Orizari Mayor Kurto Dudus. VMRO-DPMNE MP Nikola Micevski said that the entire government should resign in order for Macedonia to develop and progress, to which SDSM MP Kostadin Kostadinov replied that VMRO-DPMNE cannot hope to return to power as long as they are still directed by Gruevski. The president of the Alliance for Albanians Ziadin Sela criticised the government in the field of judiciary, pointing out DUI as responsible for “the discrimination against Albanians”, referring to the prison sentences given to the murderers of 20-year old Nikola Sazdovski of 18 years, and that of the murderer of little Almir from Kumanovo who got a prison sentence of 6 years. PM Zaev reacted to this statement, saying that he feels the prison sentences in both cases are unjust, and called upon the judicial organs to act in accordance with the laws. Artan Grubi from DUI also reacted to Sela’s statement. “The citizens support DUI because it is the only option that leads them to prosperity and justice, just like in 2001, when the Albanian opposition in the Parliament was silent. Sela is a servant to evil people who do not care about the citizens, but above all, he is a coward, which is why he got beaten up in the Parliament on 27 April 2017,” Grubi said.