The Electoral Code could theoretically be approved without SDSM, but this would not be a good solution and would not send a good message for the state. This is the assessment of political analyst Petar Arsovski, who in a statement for "Sloboden Peçat" explains that, despite the current clashes between the government and the opposition, an effort should be made to have the changes approved by consensus, reports PressOnline.al.
According to him, the absence of even one opposition party from the process could undermine the credibility of the Electoral Code.
As he says, it is a law that regulates the rules of the electoral game, so its adoption without broader political consensus would open up additional doubts and tensions.
Arsovski emphasizes that the problem lies not only in the fact of whether or not SDSM participates in the working group, but also in the fact that the parties currently do not have a clear consensus on what exactly the Electoral Code should contain.
"Regarding whether the law can be approved without SDSM, theoretically it can, but it will not be good and will not speak well of the state. It is better to make another attempt to reach consensus. Here we come to the third point, which is that the biggest problem is that the parties currently do not have a consensus," Arsovski declared.
He adds that the impression has been created in public opinion that all parties agree on one electoral unit, but immediately after that other issues arise: will there be an electoral threshold, will there not be a threshold, and how high it will be.
"There is an impression that all parties agree to have an electoral unit, but here the question arises whether there will be an electoral threshold or not. What will that electoral threshold be? Basically, we do not have a consensus among the parties about the Electoral Code, regardless of the mechanics of its adoption," said Arsovski.
According to him, political parties often know how to misuse their position and turn such processes into daily political marketing.
Therefore, he believes, it is necessary to once again open space for negotiations, instead of pushing the process in a direction that would leave the impression that the electoral rules are being approved without part of the opposition.
Arsovski recalls that there have been cases before when political parties have abandoned the Assembly or working groups, but this has not brought them political benefit so far.
According to him, the pressure for SDSM to return to the working group will increase, especially because the international community usually prefers that such laws be adopted by consensus and through open discussion.
"The pressure for SDSM to join the working group will increase. The international community always prefers that laws be approved by consensus and open discussion if there are disagreements. It is not right that the Electoral Code be approved without the opposition, therefore SDSM should also consider returning," Arsovski declared.
In this context, the Electoral Code remains between two lines – the need to adopt a reform law and the need for this to be done with political credibility.
Formally, the majority can exist even without the participation of SDSM in the process, but the question is what legitimacy a law regulating electoral rules will have if part of the opposition remains outside its creation.
This topic is given additional weight by the fact that the changes to the Electoral Code are related to the reform agenda and the deadlines that the state must meet.
Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski also spoke about this, stating that the Government remains optimistic that it will implement the reform agenda, but assessed that the opposition is obstructing the process by blocking the working group on the Electoral Code.
According to him, one of the steps depends on the participation of the opposition, specifically in the Electoral Code section.
"I hope that reason will prevail there, that they will return to the working group and that we will all together approve this reform law," Mickoski declared.
On the other hand, SDSM leader Venko Filipçe strongly maintains that the name of reforms is constitutional changes and the beginning of negotiations, urging the government to stop deceiving the public and lying, since, as he said, it has not done anything about reforms for two years.
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