MACEDONIA'S SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT NOMINATED AS

UNCLAS E F T O SECTION 01 OF 02 SKOPJE 000038 SIPDIS NOFORN SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/SCE STATE PLS PASS TO USAID E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/12/2015 TAGS: PINR PREL PGOV MK SUBJECT: MACEDONIA'S SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT NOMINATED AS NEXT AMBASSADOR TO WASHINGTON Classified By: P/E CHIEF SHUBLER, REASONS 1.4 (B) & (D). SUMMARY ¶1. (SBU) The GOM has nominated Speaker of Parliament Ljupco Jordanovski as Macedonia's next ambassador to the United States. A long-time parliamentarian, Jordanovski is meticulous, hard-working, and a consensus builder. He is widely-respected as an administrator and has presided over an ambitious legislative agenda. Jordanovski's parliamentary experience and consensus-building skills will serve him well as he works to make Macedonia's case in the U.S. for NATO membership, and tackles the knotty name dispute with Greece at the UN. End Summary. PARLIAMENTARIAN AND SEISMOLOGIST ¶2. (SBU/NF) Confirming local media reports, MFA Chief of Cabinet Santa Argirova told us January 12 that the GOM has nominated Speaker of Parliament Ljupco Jordanovski to serve as the next Ambassador to the U.S. If he receives agrement, Jordanovski will replace Nikola Dimitrov, who is due to depart his post in mid-March, 2006. ¶3. (U) Elected to Parliament on the ruling-party SDSM (Social Democrats) ticket in 2002, Jordanovski has served as president of parliament since November 2003. Following the death of President Trajkovski in February 2004, Jordanovski served as acting president until the election and swearing-in of President Crvenkovski that May. ¶4. (U) Jordanovski is a long-time member of the ruling SDSM, and is a member of its executive board. Prior to his election to the Parliament, he directed the Seismological Institute in Skopje. A trained civil engineer, he earned his PhD from the University of Southern California in 1985 and has conducted seismological studies in the United Kingdom, Mexico and Iran. In 1991, he spent three months as a visiting professor at USC's Department of Civil Engineering. METICULOUS, HARD-WORKING, CONSENSUS-BUILDER ¶5. (SBU) Punctual, meticulous, and a workhorse, Jordanovski is widely-respected as an able administrator with a deep interest in organizational matters and in using information technology to improve the operation of the parliament. During his tenure, the parliament has passed all of the legislative requirements of the 2001 Framework Agreement. A consensus builder, Jordanovski played a key role in the passage in 2004 of crucial decentralization legislation that helped defuse ethnic tensions and avoid a split in the ruling coalition. His deft handling of that situation earned him a reputation as a pragmatic, no-nonsense lawmaker. ¶6. (SBU) Generally modest in demeanor, Jordanovski boasted last year that the parliament under his leadership had passed a record number (for Macedonia) of laws. Jordanovski has worked closely with our USAID mission and its implementing partners to professionalize the parliamentary staff and to make the parliament more accessible to citizens. He began the practice of televising sessions of parliament and hosted in May 2005 an "Open Days of Parliament" to give citizens, for the first time ever, the chance to tour and see the parliament at work. MODEST LIFESTYLE, DRY SENSE OF HUMOR ¶7. (U) Jordanovski was born in Stip, eastern Macedonia, on February 13, 1953. He is married and has 3 children. His wife works for the Ministry of Environment. In addition to his studies at the University of Southern California, Jordanovski received a masters degree in electrical engineering from the University of Zagreb. He speaks English well, as does his wife, and understands some Russian. A smoker and moderate drinker (beer is his beverage of choice), he enjoys fishing as a hobby and regularly attends opera, ballet, and symphony concerts. Unlike many Macedonian SKOPJE 00000038 002 OF 002 political leaders, Jordanovski leads a modest lifestyle. He is unassuming and possesses a dry sense of humor -- he once started the practice of playing MPs' favorite musical tunes during parliamentary sessions to celebrate their birthdays, a practice that was widely-lampooned and eventually discontinued. IMPACT OF JORDANOVSKI'S DEPARTURE ON REFORM AGENDA LIKELY TO BE MINIMAL ¶8. (SBU) Jordanovski's departure from parliament is not expected to result in significant delays in passing legislation related to Macedonia's EU and NATO membership reform agenda, although it may be a challenge to replace his consensus-building skills. Upon his resignation as speaker, the SDSM-led coalition's comfortable majority will allow it to elect a successor who will concentrate on getting the reform agenda passed before the upcoming parliamentary elections in summer 2006. Media speculation centers around SDSM Secretary General Nikola Kjurkciev or SDSM Parliamentary Whip Jani Makraduli as possible successors. Both candidates are loyal to PM Buckovski and can be expected to support the government's legislative agenda. COMMENT ¶9. (SBU) Jordanovski is an excellent successor to Dimitrov who, despite his youth and affiliation with opposition VMRO-DPMNE party, has performed credibly by all accounts. Jordanovski's experience in dealing with numerous foreign parliamentary and diplomatic delegations, as well as his consensus-building approach, will serve him well as he works with USG counterparts and the U.S. Congress to make Macedonia's case for NATO accession. It will also come in handy as he works to cut through the Gordian knot of the name dispute with Greece in ongoing talks under UN auspices in New York. If the current coalition loses the 2006 elections, however, Jordanovski's close SDSM ties could considerably shorten his tenure in Macedonia's most important diplomatic posting. MILOVANOVIC