Minister praises OSCE role in forthcoming Macedonian elections

VIENNA, 25 July 2002 - The Foreign Minister of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Slobodan Casule, today praised the role of the OSCE and other partners from the international community in restoring confidence in democracy by assisting with the observation of the national elections scheduled for 15 September this year.

Speaking to the Organization's 55-nation Permanent Council in Vienna, Minister Casule described the elections as "grand finale of an effort to defeat terrorism with political tools, which I am convinced that the citizens of Macedonia will crown with triumph".

"Last time in Vienna, at the beginning of this year, I spoke about the outcome of a crisis, of the necessity of avoiding another over the issue of borders, of our conviction in political solutions as an answer to conflicts, of our dedication to reforms, of the positive changes that have occurred, the progress we are achieving each day, and the ways ahead," he said.

The elections represented the "first chapter of a new era", confirmation that the country's "democratic and political institutions are vital and functioning", he said.

The Minister referred to the Ohrid Framework Agreement signed in August 2001, which laid out steps to restore stability and peace in the country following the outbreak of fighting in the north of the country earlier in the year. He said that the important legislative changes foreseen by the Agreement had already been adopted, including the Parliamentary Rules of Procedure. "And, we have gone even further - by passing the Amnesty Law as a tool for confidence-building", Minister Casule added.

The Minister also stressed the importance for stability and security in the country of the re-entry process of the Macedonian police force into sensitive regions, which has been finalized. "This has been done with the assistance of the OSCE and other partners in a manner that generated stabiltity and confidence and should accelerate and facilitate the return of refugees and displaced persons and normalization of living conditions", Mr. Casule said.

On the issue of the special police forces in the country, Minister Casule recalled the comitment of the Macedonian Prime Minister Georgevski to transform them into border control police units by the end of the year. "Our aim is to propose and lead a regional project on inter-border security where instead of overseeing each other Macedonia and its neighbours will prevent organized crime in a joint effort, but mainly by building trust and protecting the rule of law", he said.