© Vlada.mk
– This is what Dimitar Kovachevski, mentioned as Zaev’s choice as the party’s next leader, looks like.
Weeks after Zoran Zaev announced he would step down as both Macedonian prime minister and leader of the ruling Social Democratic Union, and later froze his resignation, he began preparations tomorrow for a trial to keep his word.
Zaev gave the unequivocal signal on Friday after meeting with the leader of the small party from the Albanian bloc Alternative, which is to save the majority of the Social Democrats (SDSM) and Albania’s leading Democratic Union for Integration (DUI).
From tomorrow, the prime minister is preparing to start a procedure first to confirm his resignation from the SDSM, and then to elect a new leader, who he says should head the next government.
Since then, a name has appeared in the media, which according to some publications may be his potential successor (and the opposition has added fuel to the fire, recalling Zaev’s words, also referring to him).
What next
Macedonian politicians have been talking about the “postponed but certain resignation” hypothesis since Zaev said he took full responsibility for defeating the SDSM in local elections. His party also lost Skopje to Danela Arsovska, backed by VMRO-DPMNE.
At that time, an option was being discussed in which Zaev would remain in power at least until the end of the yearto solve the problem with Bulgaria and other crises, and then give way to a new prime minister, if possible – by the same majority. In particular, Zaev considered resigning after December 14th and the European Council, at which Skopje continues to hope for lifting Bulgaria’s veto on EU talks.
Subsequently, his party hesitated, but before the no-confidence vote convened by VMRO-DPMNE, the resignation was frozen. The decision followed securing a majority of the oppositionto oust Zaev as Besa, a small Albanian coalition partner, seceded from the cabinet.
For Zaev, it became a priority to persuade another small Albanian party, Alternativa, which was part of an opposition bloc, to come to power so that his cabinet would have a majority. On Friday, he met with Alternative leader Afrim Gashi and then explained to the media that he expected two things on Tuesday: first, a decision by Alternative, and second, a meeting of SDSM’s governing structures to begin the procedure for new leader.
In the same statement, Zaev explained that although the SDSM has not yet made a decision, his personal position is that “the party leader must be both a mandate holder, because in this case both responsibility and legitimacy are complete.” The prime minister believes that the experience of Northern Macedonia in the cases of discrepancies rather indicates the need for the same figure to be responsible for both.
Almost anything is possible
While the opposition has often criticized Zaev in recent days for lying about his resignation, the Social Democrats close to the Social Democrats came out today with the title: “Zaev resigns as leader of SDSM, a new government by the end of the year?” “Whether the outcome is a new parliamentary majority with MPs and Alternative to form a new government or hold early elections, it will take time,” and the week will be vital to overcoming the political crisis.
“Alternative” will discuss tomorrow whether it is part of the government or to remain in opposition. Sloboden Pechat and other publications have noted in recent days that Alternativa is divided on the issue. This was evident even when it came to the vote of no confidence and means that there is no guarantee of the required parliamentary majority of 61 out of 120 deputies, and that neither an opposition government nor elections can be ruled out.
There will be at least a month to form a cabinet and approve it if Zaev resigns – 10 days to serve a term and another 20 to form, then – 15 to vote in parliament. In the event of a failure, in addition to elections, a consensus on a new expert or caretaker government is possible, as it has been twice in recent years. The only option that cannot be implemented is a vote of no confidence – the Rules of Procedure of Parliament allow this for only three months, after the latter failed in November.
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Even if Alternative agrees to come to power, the majority that its deputies will provide will be only a few.
Who will be the “next Zaev”
Regardless of what happens, Zaev is looking for a solution that will include a new prime minister. Dimitar Kovachevski’s name appeared in the media – which, however, Zaev did not want to confirm or deny – as the man who could succeed him at the head of the party.
The leader of VMRO-DPMNE Hristian Mickoski only explained that although he did not interfere in the affairs of SDSM, Zaev himself admitted the possibility that his successor would be the person who would be with him at the meeting with Gashi (more precisely, there were such comments on TV21) . Kovachevsky himself, who was at the meeting, answered the questions with the words: “I don’t think that I am the most important at the moment … I respect the decisions of the party bodies and I will not comment on possibilities and probabilities.” Thus he neither confirmed nor denied.
Zaev could not make the decision alone – the party must vote in elections. It is unknown how many more candidates will appear in the party in the meantime. Informal comments with other names began to emerge in the media and social networks, and a few weeks ago the special representative in the dispute between Northern Macedonia and Bulgaria Vlado Buckovski commented that a group around former Prime Minister and President Branko Crvenkovski most likely looking at power in the party.
If, after all, Kovachevski turns out to be the choice of the prime minister (and the party), Northern Macedonia could have a prime minister, an economist from Kumanovo, who is currently deputy finance minister.
The biographical reference on the government’s website sochithat he taught economics and management at the American College Skopje University, started his career at Makedonski Telekom AD Skopje in the mid-1990s and continued at A1 Macedonia as an executive director. Among the founders is the starp, associated with the production of energy from renewable sources. He began his secondary education in Kumanovo, but completed it in Minnesota. The bachelor’s and master’s degrees are from the Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, and the doctoral studies are from the University of Economics in Montenegro.
He received additional postgraduate qualifications at Harvard Business School, but also at other universities in Rotterdam, Munich and elsewhere.
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