MACEDONIAN MOI ON ELECTION CAMPAIGN INCIDENTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 SKOPJE 000345

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/SCE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/27/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM MK
SUBJECT: MACEDONIAN MOI ON ELECTION CAMPAIGN INCIDENTS

REF: SKOPJE 339 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: P/E LATHAM, REASONS 1.4(B) AND (D)

Summary
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1. (C) On May 26, DCM Navratil, EUSR Fouere, and ODIHR
Ambassador Barry met jointly with Minister of Interior
Gordana Jankulovska to discuss the continuing incidents of
violence and intimidation related to the parliamentary
election campaign. Jankulovska agreed that the incidents are
damaging to the election process, but claimed that the MOI
could not do more without clear evidence linking suspects to
the violence. The DCM, Fouere and Barry emphasized that the
MOI could do more to prevent such incidents from happening,
and to ensure that members of the police are not involved.
Jankulovska also forcefully confirmed that the MOI will
pursue a legal case against SDSM opposition leader Radmila
Shekerinska for slandering the police. Jankulovska said
that, as part of the MOI's operational plan for the election,
police will be deployed to geographical areas different from
their homebases and will provide security at all polling
stations. She agreed to allow U.S., EU, and OSCE security
experts to review the operational plan. End Summary.

Jankulovska - MOI's Hands Tied
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2. (C) The DCM raised with Jankulovska our concerns over
continuing incidents of election related violence in the
ethnic Albanian communities (reftel) and provided her with a
list of names of individuals allegedly orchestrating or
committing the violence, provided to the Embassy by various
sources. Jankulovska promised to see what could be done to
investigate the individuals on the list. She complained that
90 percent of the violent incidents covered in the media have
not been reported to the police, but that the police had
investigated all reported incidents. She added that the
police could not become involved in a "political debate"
between the ethnic Albanian parties. The DCM disputed the
description of these events as part of a "debate," and noted
that people may be reluctant to report these incidents to the
police when in several cases the police, especially the
plainclothes "Alphas," were reported to have been
perpetrators. Fouere echoed the DCM's concerns and said that
police in high positions in the towns of Tetovo and Gostivar
have demonstrated that they are not impartial, but openly
support the ethnic Albanian party DPA.


3. (C) Fouere and Barry said that there have been reliable
reports of armed men associated with DPA in convoys of cars,
without license plates, driving at night in towns near
Gostivar and intimidating the citizens. Jankulovska repeated
that unless witnesses provide detailed reports, the MOI has
little basis to respond to such incidents. She noted that
after the shooting of DUI leader Ahmeti's car, the MOI
received reports and responded quickly to arrest suspects.
The DCM and Barry pushed back, arguing that the MOI could do
more to prevent such incidents by stopping suspicious convoys
of cars at night and searching them for weapons.


4. (C) The DCM asked Jankulovska whether she had any concerns
about the actions of the Alpha police in Tetovo and Gostivar.
She acknowledged that there had been several accusations
made against the ethnic Albanian Alpha members in these
areas, and said that in response the MOI had increased the
number of ethnic Macedonian members of the Alpha teams.
Jankulovska noted that the members of the Alpha units were
nominated by the local police commanders, vetted by the MOI's
Director of Security, and approved by her.


5. (C) Barry said that the police chain-of-command in
Gostivar was unclear, since the Gostivar police commander had
been appointed but had not yet assumed his duties. In his
absence, the regional commander, a DPA supporter, claimed he
was in charge. Jankulovska noted that she had appointed the
Gostivar police commander at the suggestion of the DUI Mayor
of Gostivar, but that the new chief appeared reluctant to
start in his position. Barry Fouere and DCM requested that
he be encouraged to take up the position as soon as possible.
Jankulovska agreed, and noted that once he did so, he would
be responsible for dealing with any incidents that took place.


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Send A Message To Menduh Thaci
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6. (C) Barry told Jankulovska that DPA leader Menduh Thaci
had told him that he had no confidence that the government
institutions or municipal authorities would guarantee a fair
election, so he would "take matters into his own hands,"
while DUI leader Ali Ahmeti had explicitly promised to
refrain from violence. Jankulovska said that she disagreed
with Thaci's statements, but she could not violate his
freedom of speech. The DCM noted that most of the
election-related violence had been directed against DUI
election buildings and supporters. He stated that DPA needed
to be brought under control, its members arrested if they
committed crimes, and future incidents prevented. The DCM
suggested that VMRO send a clear message to Thaci that any
chance of DPA being in a future government coalition would
depend upon DPA's conduct during the election campaign,
rather than the number of parliamentary seats it wins.
Jankulovska said that VMRO's leaders had publicly called on
all political leaders to ensure free and fair elections.

Opposition Leader To Face Slander Charges
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7. (SBU) Jankulovska complained forcefully that opposition
SDSM leader Radmila Shekerinska had publicly stated that the
police were behind the assault on a journalist, even though
the journalist had said the police did not assault him and
the MOI had arrested a civilian suspect in the case.
Jankulovska said that Shekerinska's comments constituted
slander against the police, and therefore the MOI was filing
criminal charges against her. Barry commented that the MOI
filing criminal charges against the head of the largest
opposition party on the eve of an election for something she
had alleged sent the wrong message. Jankulovska reiterated
that the MOI had provided Shekerinska with the facts of the
case, yet Shekerinska had continued to make "criminal"
slanderous statements against the police.

TV Transmitter Case Under Investigation
--------------

8. (SBU) Fouere raised concerns about the theft of
television transmitter equipment of several television
stations near Tetovo, including the ethnic Albanian stations
Alsat and Tetovo Art, which are considered sympathetic to
DUI. Due to the theft, these stations were no longer
broadcasting in the Tetovo area. Jankulovska said that the
case had first been reported to the MOI when it was raised by
an Alsat journalist during an MOI press conference. She said
the police had immediately investigated the theft, and the
investigation continued.

MOI Plan To Ensure A Safe Election
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9. (SBU) Barry asked whether the MOI's deployment plan for
election day had been completed. Jankulovska said that the
plan had been developed and that all polling stations across
the country would be monitored by police. She added that the
police would be deployed to areas where they do not normally
live or work, in order to avoid any potential for improper
police influence over the voters - for example, ethnic
Albanian police would be sent to areas that are predominantly
ethnic Macedonian, and vice versa. The DCM asked whether
international experts could review the plan and Jankulovksa
agreed to have police experts from the U.S. (the resident
ICITAP advisor),EU and OSCE review the plan.

Comment: Too Little Too Late?
--------------

10. (C) Jankulovska was correct in asserting that in some
high-profile cases of election campaign related violence or
intimidation the MOI has responded with investigations and a
few arrests. However, she focused on legalistic reasons why
the MOI could not do more in reacting to events, rather than
suggesting ways the MOI would prevent future events from
occurring. She also appeared to dismiss the possibility that
the GOM or VMRO might be able to influence Thaci's actions.
However, the joint message from us, the EUSR, and ODIHR
clearly indicated the international community's serious
concerns with the MOI's handling of the election campaign so
far. The question is whether the MOI will now do more to try
to prevent future incidents of violence and intimidation, and
whether that will be enough to change the current tense

SKOPJE 00000345 003 OF 003


atmosphere in Tetovo, Gostivar, and other areas in the few
days remaining before Election Day on June 1.
Milovanovic