President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova believes that the introduction of a single electoral district is a good solution for the country, because in this way every vote would have equal weight. In an interview with Channel 5, she pointed out that although such a model is rare in Europe, it can still contribute to a fairer electoral process.
"Although it is a rare solution and exists in two or three countries, it is still good to have it here because in different constituencies, a person wins with a different number of votes. The vote should have the same weight," said Siljanovska-Davkova.
The diaspora must not be discriminated against
Speaking about the diaspora and its right to vote, the President assessed that the current solutions in the Electoral Code create unequal treatment of citizens living outside the country. According to her, the Constitution clearly stipulates that the right to vote, regardless of whether it is active or passive, derives from citizenship.
"The largest number of countries in the world allow the diaspora to vote. Only a small number of countries do not allow it. In our country, it is strange that the diaspora can vote in local elections, which is an almost unknown phenomenon," said Siljanovska-Davkova.
She emphasized that sending voters to diplomatic and consular missions is difficult to achieve, which is why many countries are applying models such as electronic voting or voting by mail.
Electronic voting is again a topic of debate
Regarding criticism that electronic voting could open up room for abuse, the President recalled the manner in which the population census was conducted.
"The opposition enabled electronic registration for the census. With us, people who had been outside the country for a long time also registered electronically and entered the census results," said Siljanovska-Davkova.
She added that amendments to the Electoral Code require a broad political consensus, including on the issue of paid political advertising.
Referring to the abolition of the caretaker government, the legal decree of which she signed, Siljanovska-Davkova said that the model that existed so far was predominantly partisan. "I am for a caretaker government like the ones in Bulgaria, Greece and Italy. Its goal should be to ensure fair and democratic elections, without party influence. What we had was something completely different," the president said.
SDSM: Statements raise more questions than answers
SDSM reacted to the president's views, assessing that her statements open up more dilemmas than they offer solutions.
The party is being asked why it signed the decree abolishing the caretaker government if it believes a mechanism is needed to ensure fair elections, and why it did not propose a new model if it truly believed that the existing one was not adequate. SDSM is also seeking an answer to the question of why it insists on electronic voting and the single-constituency model, which according to the president's statements is applied in a limited number of countries.
In its reaction, the party assesses that the president is selectively approaching topics related to the Electoral Code and electoral reforms.
VMRO-DPMNE, on the other hand, accuses SDSM, DUI and Levica of blocking the adoption of the new reformed Electoral Code. According to the ruling party, there was room for a broad consensus and agreement between political entities, but the opposition opted for blockades due to fear of electoral defeat.
VMRO-DPMNE claims that they are proposing solutions that are in line with the recommendations of international institutions and that the diaspora should be given greater opportunities to vote. The party assesses that the adoption of the Electoral Code is part of the country's reform obligations and an important step towards European integration.
