Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07SKOPJE699
2007-08-24 11:27:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Skopje
Cable title:
MACEDONIA: PARLIAMENT CONFIRMS EX-PM'S IMMUNITY
how-toVZCZCXRO9111 RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHSQ #0699/01 2361127 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 241127Z AUG 07 ZDK FM AMEMBASSY SKOPJE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6447 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE 0012 RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC RUESEN/SKOPJE BETA RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 3700
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SKOPJE 000699
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KCOR MK
SUBJECT: MACEDONIA: PARLIAMENT CONFIRMS EX-PM'S IMMUNITY
REVOCATION
REF: SKOPJE 633
SUMMARY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SKOPJE 000699
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KCOR MK
SUBJECT: MACEDONIA: PARLIAMENT CONFIRMS EX-PM'S IMMUNITY
REVOCATION
REF: SKOPJE 633
SUMMARY
1. (SBU) On August 20, the Macedonian Parliament voted to
revoke the immunity of former Prime Minister and current
opposition MP Vlado Buckovski. Buckovski is being
investigated by the Macedonian authorities for alleged
irregularities in procurement while he was Minister of
Defense in 2001 (Ref). The Parliament's vote confirmed the
disputed August 2 decision by the Parliamentary Committee on
Immunity to revoke Buckovski's immunity (reftel). The 18
days between the two decisions saw heated public accusations
between the governing party VMRO-DPMNE and Buckovski's SDSM.
The case will now likely proceed to a trial, though Buckovski
claims he has presented documentary evidence that exonerates
him. SDSM's VP Igor Ilievski told us SDSM will still be
willing to work with the GOM on issues critical for
Macedonia's potential NATO invitation, including constituting
the State Judicial Council. End summary.
Long Debate, Inevitable Outcome
2. (U) On August 20, after three days of intensive debate,
Parliament revoked the immunity of former Prime Minister and
current opposition SDSM MP, Vlado Buckovski. SDSM, DUI and
other smaller opposition party MPs boycotted the vote. Out
of the 61 MPs that remained, 59 voted in favor, one
abstained, and one did not vote. According to the
Parliamentary rulebook, the full Parliament needed to confirm
the decision taken by the Parliamentary Committee on Immunity
on August 2 during a contentious midnight session. Buckovski
will remain free from detention while he defends himself.
3. (SBU) The period between the two votes included
heightened rhetoric and accusations between the ruling
VMRO-DPMNE and its biggest ethnic Macedonian rival SDSM. The
government tried to present SDSM's defense of Buckovski as
unwillingness to fight corruption. Not to be outdone, SDSM's
President Sekerinska accused the governing coalition of
"fear-mongering" and violating the rule of law in the
country. During the parliamentary debate, SDSM MPs argued
that they were not trying to protect their own from facing
corruption charges, but rather that the Parliamentary
Committee had not followed legitimate procedures and that the
GOM had tried to orchestrate a media show surrounding
stripping Buckovski of his immunity.
4. (SBU) Buckovski had hoped that he might be able to drive
a wedge between the ruling coalition on the vote. He had
evidently believed that MPs from two parties in the GOM, DPA
and NSDP, might be swayed to vote with SDSM, or at least
abstain from the vote. In his final statement during the
debate, Buckovski made clear his disappointment that the MPs
from these parties would not support him.
5. (SBU) On August 23, the media quoted Buckovski's lawyers
as saying that the initial investigation was over. The court
has refused to hear any new witnesses from the Ministry of
Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Public Prosecutor
will now decide if there are enough grounds to press charges
against those involved in the case. Buckovski claimed he
submitted new evidence which exonerated him of any guilt, but
it is likely the case will go forward. It is unknown how
long it will take for Buckovski's trial to start, or to reach
a verdict. Past experience with the trial of former VMRO
Defense Minister Paunovski shows that such trials can take
years, while other trials have proceeded relatively quickly.
6. (SBU) A front-page story just days ago, Buckovski's
plight is losing media attention now. SDSM VP Igor Ilievski
reiterated to us what other SDSM leaders have said - SDSM was
not trying to protect Buckovski personally, but rather they
were sending a message to the GOM that it had to follow the
proper procedures in Parliament and the justice system.
Ilievski made clear that - having made its political points
in Parliament - SDSM was now ready to work with the
government on constituting the State Judicial Council and
other issues important for Macedonia's potential NATO
invitation.
COMMENT
7. (SBU) On the surface, this episode of Macedonian
political confrontation seems to have had something for both
VMRO-DPMNE and SDSM: VMRO-DPMNE supporters were pleased that
the government is determined to fight corruption by going
SKOPJE 00000699 002 OF 002
after a former top official; SDSM supporters were united by
the GOM's poor handling of the case in Parliament and in its
bungled attempt to score points in the media with pictures of
Buckovski in police custody.
NAVRATIL
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KCOR MK
SUBJECT: MACEDONIA: PARLIAMENT CONFIRMS EX-PM'S IMMUNITY
REVOCATION
REF: SKOPJE 633
SUMMARY
1. (SBU) On August 20, the Macedonian Parliament voted to
revoke the immunity of former Prime Minister and current
opposition MP Vlado Buckovski. Buckovski is being
investigated by the Macedonian authorities for alleged
irregularities in procurement while he was Minister of
Defense in 2001 (Ref). The Parliament's vote confirmed the
disputed August 2 decision by the Parliamentary Committee on
Immunity to revoke Buckovski's immunity (reftel). The 18
days between the two decisions saw heated public accusations
between the governing party VMRO-DPMNE and Buckovski's SDSM.
The case will now likely proceed to a trial, though Buckovski
claims he has presented documentary evidence that exonerates
him. SDSM's VP Igor Ilievski told us SDSM will still be
willing to work with the GOM on issues critical for
Macedonia's potential NATO invitation, including constituting
the State Judicial Council. End summary.
Long Debate, Inevitable Outcome
2. (U) On August 20, after three days of intensive debate,
Parliament revoked the immunity of former Prime Minister and
current opposition SDSM MP, Vlado Buckovski. SDSM, DUI and
other smaller opposition party MPs boycotted the vote. Out
of the 61 MPs that remained, 59 voted in favor, one
abstained, and one did not vote. According to the
Parliamentary rulebook, the full Parliament needed to confirm
the decision taken by the Parliamentary Committee on Immunity
on August 2 during a contentious midnight session. Buckovski
will remain free from detention while he defends himself.
3. (SBU) The period between the two votes included
heightened rhetoric and accusations between the ruling
VMRO-DPMNE and its biggest ethnic Macedonian rival SDSM. The
government tried to present SDSM's defense of Buckovski as
unwillingness to fight corruption. Not to be outdone, SDSM's
President Sekerinska accused the governing coalition of
"fear-mongering" and violating the rule of law in the
country. During the parliamentary debate, SDSM MPs argued
that they were not trying to protect their own from facing
corruption charges, but rather that the Parliamentary
Committee had not followed legitimate procedures and that the
GOM had tried to orchestrate a media show surrounding
stripping Buckovski of his immunity.
4. (SBU) Buckovski had hoped that he might be able to drive
a wedge between the ruling coalition on the vote. He had
evidently believed that MPs from two parties in the GOM, DPA
and NSDP, might be swayed to vote with SDSM, or at least
abstain from the vote. In his final statement during the
debate, Buckovski made clear his disappointment that the MPs
from these parties would not support him.
5. (SBU) On August 23, the media quoted Buckovski's lawyers
as saying that the initial investigation was over. The court
has refused to hear any new witnesses from the Ministry of
Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Public Prosecutor
will now decide if there are enough grounds to press charges
against those involved in the case. Buckovski claimed he
submitted new evidence which exonerated him of any guilt, but
it is likely the case will go forward. It is unknown how
long it will take for Buckovski's trial to start, or to reach
a verdict. Past experience with the trial of former VMRO
Defense Minister Paunovski shows that such trials can take
years, while other trials have proceeded relatively quickly.
6. (SBU) A front-page story just days ago, Buckovski's
plight is losing media attention now. SDSM VP Igor Ilievski
reiterated to us what other SDSM leaders have said - SDSM was
not trying to protect Buckovski personally, but rather they
were sending a message to the GOM that it had to follow the
proper procedures in Parliament and the justice system.
Ilievski made clear that - having made its political points
in Parliament - SDSM was now ready to work with the
government on constituting the State Judicial Council and
other issues important for Macedonia's potential NATO
invitation.
COMMENT
7. (SBU) On the surface, this episode of Macedonian
political confrontation seems to have had something for both
VMRO-DPMNE and SDSM: VMRO-DPMNE supporters were pleased that
the government is determined to fight corruption by going
SKOPJE 00000699 002 OF 002
after a former top official; SDSM supporters were united by
the GOM's poor handling of the case in Parliament and in its
bungled attempt to score points in the media with pictures of
Buckovski in police custody.
NAVRATIL