Macedonian Crisis Deepens as Protests Increase in Number and Intensity · Global Voices
Protesters holding mirrors to policemen blocking their way on April 23. Photo by Meta.mk News Agency, used with permission.
The political crisis in Macedonia continues to deepen, affecting the country’s international relations as a plethora of protests proliferate across the tiny Balkan state complementing the more general #ColorfulRevolution protest movement.
According to the report by OSCE Election Observation Mission, published April 22, the political climate in the country began to sharply deteriorate after April 12, when President <PERSON> pardoned all those charged, under investigation and suspected in a wiretapping scandal targeting members of the country's opposition.
OSCE is not the only institution flagging danger in Macedonia. Both the U.S. 363
State Department and the EU called on <PERSON> to reverse his pardon.
In a recent interview with 24Vesti, the EU Parliament mediator for Macedonia <PERSON> expressed his concern for the country’s welfare if Brussels’ recommendation is ignored by the government in Skopje.
<PERSON>, along with fellow Members of the European Parliament <PERSON> and <PERSON>, as well as Enlargement Commissioner <PERSON> released an April 22 statement saying that the government could face sanctions if it continues its authoritarian course.
As part of the trust-building measures sanctioned by the Pržino Agreement — a political compromise reached with Western mediation last summer — the Macedonian parliament appointed representatives of the opposition at the heads of two key ministries: interior and social policy.
But the new Minister of Interior, <PERSON>, has warned ruling party apparatchiks within the ministry have staged “a coup” and that his subordinates are refusing to heed orders, answering only to the VMRO-DPMNE faction's leadership.
Meanwhile, on the streets…
On April 22, three different protests took place in Skopje, all independent of each other, pointing to a boiling political mood.
In the morning medical students demonstrated under the slogan “We are not lab rats!” as part of a protest against the changes in the Law on Medical Studies, which they claim diminishes the quality of education they receive.
The Minister of Health’s office received representatives of the protesters and told them that no change can be made to legislation while the parliament is not working.
The students say their protest is not connected to the general protest movement sweeping the country.
In the afternoon of the same day, opposition ethnic Albanian political parties held their own an anti-government protest.
This protest complements the Colourful Revolution protests, demanding an end to government corruption, but with a distinct focus on the grievances of ethnic Albanians.
Their slogans — emphasising fabricated court cases against ethnic Albania and targeting the ruling VMRO-DPMNE party –evoked memories of the militant Albanian National Liberation Army, famous for its bitter conflict with Macedonia's security services that peaked in 2001.
Quite a number of ethnic Albanians, have also been at the forefront of other civil protests within the movement #protestiram (#протестирам) AKA the #ColorfulRevolution (#ШаренаРеволуција)
The main event
These bigger ‘Colorful Revolution’ protests continue to gain momentum. Every day at 6 pm thousands of people continue to gather in front of the Special Public Prosecutors’ Office, and then march the streets passing various institutions.
More join along the way, especially at points where police block the procession.
All of these protests are non-violent, although an overwhelming police presence — especially when ethnic Albanian opposition parties were on the march — has helped kindle tensions.
Colorful Revolution protesters place stickers with hearts on riot police shields upon close encounters. Photo by <PERSON>, CC BY-NC-SA.
Artistic license
On Friday evening the ‘Colorful’ protest showed that no government building or monument will be spared by the “artists” of the Colorful Revolution.
Protesters seem to agree with OSCE’s take on the deterioration of media, and chucked paint all over the new Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services building on April 22 in a symbolic act of resistance.
Demonstrators chanted: “This used to be a park” while redecorating the facade, condemning both the government’s illegal construction of buildings on public land and the hypocrisy of media legislation.
Ова беше парк #протестирам pic.twitter. 409