[08SKOPJE438] MACEDONIA: RUMORED PLANS FOR CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES AND CONCENTRATION OF POLITICAL POWER MAY THREATEN OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

Published by Wikileaks & Bivol.bg

 date: 7/8/2008 13:57 refid: 08SKOPJE438 origin: Embassy Skopje classification: SECRET//NOFORN destination: 08SKOPJE436 header: VZCZCXRO1896 RR RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV DE RUEHSQ #0438 1901357 ZNY SSSSS ZZH R 081357Z JUL 08 FM AMEMBASSY SKOPJE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7503 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE 0362 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RUEHSQ/USDAO SKOPJE MK RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL   S E C R E T SKOPJE 000438    NOFORN  SIPDIS    STATE FOR P (U/S BURNS) AND EUR A/S FRIED FROM AMBASSADOR  MILOVANOVIC    E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2018  TAGS: PGOV, PREL, MK  SUBJECT: MACEDONIA: RUMORED PLANS FOR CONSTITUTIONAL  CHANGES AND CONCENTRATION OF POLITICAL POWER MAY THREATEN  OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT    REF: SKOPJE 436    Classified By: AMBASSADOR MILOVANOVIC, REASONS 1.4(B) AND (D).    1. (U) This is a request for policy guidance (see paragraph  5).    2. (S/NF)  According to a wide range of credible sources, PM  Gruevski's VMRO-led coalition plans to amend the constitution  to allow for indirect election, by parliament, of the  President (head of state).  VMRO's new coalition partner,  eAlbanian DUI, has indicated to us that it would support such  an amendment.  Such an action would end direct popular  election for the office of the President, one of the few  checks and balances on government in this young democracy.  This has been a long-standing goal of Gruevski's, and with  his new 82-seat governing majority (reftel), he now has the  means to achieve it through a constitutional amendment.    3. (S/NF) Limiting the President's independence through  indirect elections would clear the way for a system in which  the party in government could act without the possibility of  dissenting views from the President, undermining democracy in   Macedonia.  It would give the ruling party control over  appointment of the Chief of Defense Staff in the Ministry of  Defense (MOD), weakening the civilian-military separation of  power in the MOD.  It also would give the ruling party  additional influence over the appointment of Macedonia's  ambassadors, further concentrating power in the government.      4. (S/NF)  The change from a direct to indirect election of  the President would be retrogressive and harmful to  democratic development in Macedonia.  Although the  constitutional powers of the President are limited, the  traditional independence of that office has had an important  tempering effect on government policies and attitudes.  In  recent months, the most notable example of this moderating  influence relates to the name dispute.  President  Crvenkovski's more flexible position related to the name  negotiations, coupled with his statesmanship on the issue,  was critical in persuading the government to accept the  pre-Bucharest Nimetz proposal, and helped moderate public  opinion on the issue.  Removing a directly elected President  and further limiting his/her independence would clear the way  for a mono-party system that could act without regard to  minority political views.    5. (S/NF) POLICY GUIDANCE REQUEST:  We request the Department  instruct us to use the considerable influence the USG enjoys  here to persuade PM Gruevski and his coalition partners to  refrain from pursuing any action to amend the constitution to  allow for parliamentary election of the president, and to ask  other influential domestic and international actors to  discourage it as well.  We would convey that message  privately.  Milovanovic 

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