These two events, undoubtedly, will already establish a new governance paradigm that will need to be implemented within its standard vision required by NATO and the EU. And, it is precisely these standards, this value system that implies European integration and NATO membership, gives hope that North Macedonia will necessarily have to overcome the unserious practices that during this painful transition period have become political improvisation mentality.
Writes: Bardhyl Zaimi
The coronavirus pandemic has overshadowed all the other events. And, it can’t be different when human life faces the greatest threat on the world level since World War II. Indeed, this fact has already been emphasized by many world leaders.
Everything has been paralyzed to the point that it remains the only cure for the virus. It is precisely this restriction of movement that will most likely affect the economic life of citizens around the world, while a possible recession has been announced, as was the case in 2008.
The corona virus has pushed the whole globe into another dimension, in a reality of necessary constraints, that it is not known when they may end. Each state, in addition to measures to protect human life, has taken other economic measures to make the distribution of public goods in a different way, under entirely new conditions dictated by the general crisis of the coronavirus.
While scientists around the globe are working to determine the nature of the virus and finding a possible vaccine, there is also a global debate on the economic future of states, which must now inject direct funding to keep economies alive and together with that to ensure the survival of citizens in previously unexperienced circumstances.
In North Macedonia, meanwhile, with lots of crumps and with lots of uncertainties it is open the debate over economic measures, which is soon to be approved by the government. Government representatives have pointed to a lack of budgetary capacity, while announcing cuts in administration salaries that have been opposed in the public. However, the government has insisted on this measure as a form of solidarity with the private sector, which is thought to be seriously endangered in this situation.
After a good start with managing the coronavirus situation, the government has stalled with economic measures, while public opinion has raised doubts as to whether all this drama of emergency measures and budget crisis warnings are being deliberately designed by the government to “extort” from administration portion, which is estimated to have low salaries compared to the consumer basket for one month.
Despite the manifested dissatisfaction, government officials, especially the leader of the ruling party, Zoran Zaev, have insisted in “melodramatic” tones for solidarity in circumstances where the state cannot afford the budgetary “hole” caused by the corona virus crisis. There have also been other disclosures in the online media related to the promises of the SDSM government over the three-year period. Especially promises of giving back the money to people who have illegally benefited under the previous government.
However, in the circumstances of a debate determined by the coronavirus, two good news come for North Macedonia. The fragile, long-extorted state of perpetual transition is now a member of NATO and has already opened talks on EU membership. They are two news, two complementary events that open a new horizon for all citizens of Macedonia. It seems that finally, North Macedonia is entering into other dimensions of Western affirmations, which have long been a constant expectation of the citizens.
Without much euphoria, in the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic, these two events mark a new restart, a new opportunity to overcome all that decades-long defectism that has paralyzed the energies for change, for the reforms so demanding from representatives of the EU. NATO membership and the opening of talks with the EU are hopeful moments for all citizens who along the journey of nearly three decades have faced typical Balkan governance, with unprecedented practices of perpetual improvisation that have created constant depression and distrust of politics.
These two events will undoubtedly open up another governance paradigm that will need to be implemented within its standard vision required by NATO and the EU. And, it is precisely these standards, this value system that implies European integration and NATO membership, gives hope that North Macedonia will necessarily have to overcome the unserious practices that during this painful transition period have become political improvisation mentality.
Changing the political mindset remains the key dimension to give the necessary impulse to the integration process that already has a moment of qualitative transformation and a moment to reflect on the whole plannimetry of institutional and social life.
If so far, the government, the policies, have not had an evaluation reference and have been proclaimed as party slogans, this process now means a permanent evolution, monitoring and accountability to European institutions, which have previously adopted a new negotiation methodology which is different from the previous one, precisely on the criteria for affirming the European value system out of improvisation and the rhetoric memorized here in North Macedonia.
In the shadow of the corona virus, the limitations that come from this situation, and the institutional reprogramming, the debate over the internalization of the standards seems impossible. However, over time, after winning this “supercilious” virus that endangers human lives, as the world strongly hopes, this debate will be essential to the Euro-Atlantic path. There are many things to debate that are left under the ruins of political facades. Eventually, much more transparent and efficient governance and much more accountability of institutions will be required.
These two events undoubtedly offer the possibility of a great institutional and social transposition. NATO membership and the opening of talks are the light of hope at the end of the painful transition tunnel. A comprehensive transposition of political thinking and governance would create the necessary disposition to bring closer our being with the values and standards cultivated in the EU. This imperative already has two complementary inspirations behind it that create opportunities for moving forward towards a well-being system of values. It means more investment, more democracy, more transparency and more accountability. This means more freedom in the political and cultural sense, more welfare and the promotion of a European mentality.