Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08SKOPJE57
2008-01-24 08:25:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Skopje
Cable title:
MACEDONIA: NEW MINISTER OF ECONOMY BRINGS LITTLE
how-toVZCZCXRO9744 RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHSQ #0057 0240825 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 240825Z JAN 08 FM AMEMBASSY SKOPJE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6934 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE 0167 RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL RUEHSQ/USDAO SKOPJE MK RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC RUESEN/SKOPJE BETA RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 3738
UNCLAS SKOPJE 000057
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/SCE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PINR MK
SUBJECT: MACEDONIA: NEW MINISTER OF ECONOMY BRINGS LITTLE
EXPERIENCE TO THE TABLE
REF: SKOPJE 23
SUMMARY
UNCLAS SKOPJE 000057
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/SCE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PINR MK
SUBJECT: MACEDONIA: NEW MINISTER OF ECONOMY BRINGS LITTLE
EXPERIENCE TO THE TABLE
REF: SKOPJE 23
SUMMARY
1. (SBU) Junior governing coalition partner NSDP has named
Predrag Trpeski to replace previous Minister of Economy
Rafajlovska, who resigned on January 14 (reftel).
Minister-designate Trpeski has served as Deputy Minister of
Finance since September 2006. His relative youth and
inexperience may add to the challenges his predecessor faced
in trying to carve out an influential niche in the cabinet
for the MoE in light of the dominant influence of Deputy
Prime Minister Stavreski on key economic matters. End Summary.
2. (U) Following the January 14 resignation of NSDP's Vera
Rafajlovska as Minister of Economy, the party unanimously
named NSDP member Predrag Trpeski to replace her. Trpeski
has served as Deputy Minister of Finance, a position with
only minimal policymaking influence, since September 2006.
Prior to his government service, he was an Assistant
Professor of Economics at the University of Sts. Cyril and
Methodius in Skopje. He was educated at the same university,
earning his M.A. in economics there in 2005. His academic
research focused on labor market and unemployment issues.
Born in 1976 in Gostivar, Trpeski does not bring much
experience from outside the academic realm to his government
service. He is fluent in English. Trpeski was recently
married and has no children.
3. (SBU) Comment: Youthful and relatively inexperienced,
Trpeski will face an uphill battle in trying to carve an
economic policy niche for his ministry in PM Gruevski's
cabinet. Given NSDP's lack of a strong "bench" on economic
issues, however, Trpeski figured as the only NSDP candidate
able to fill Rafajlovska's shoes. He is unlikely to be any
more successful than his predecessor was in trying to offset
the overwhelming influence on economic issues wielded by
Deputy PM Stavreski, who is responsible for nearly all
critical economic policy decisions in the Gruevski
government. End Comment.
MILOVANOVIC
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/SCE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PINR MK
SUBJECT: MACEDONIA: NEW MINISTER OF ECONOMY BRINGS LITTLE
EXPERIENCE TO THE TABLE
REF: SKOPJE 23
SUMMARY
1. (SBU) Junior governing coalition partner NSDP has named
Predrag Trpeski to replace previous Minister of Economy
Rafajlovska, who resigned on January 14 (reftel).
Minister-designate Trpeski has served as Deputy Minister of
Finance since September 2006. His relative youth and
inexperience may add to the challenges his predecessor faced
in trying to carve out an influential niche in the cabinet
for the MoE in light of the dominant influence of Deputy
Prime Minister Stavreski on key economic matters. End Summary.
2. (U) Following the January 14 resignation of NSDP's Vera
Rafajlovska as Minister of Economy, the party unanimously
named NSDP member Predrag Trpeski to replace her. Trpeski
has served as Deputy Minister of Finance, a position with
only minimal policymaking influence, since September 2006.
Prior to his government service, he was an Assistant
Professor of Economics at the University of Sts. Cyril and
Methodius in Skopje. He was educated at the same university,
earning his M.A. in economics there in 2005. His academic
research focused on labor market and unemployment issues.
Born in 1976 in Gostivar, Trpeski does not bring much
experience from outside the academic realm to his government
service. He is fluent in English. Trpeski was recently
married and has no children.
3. (SBU) Comment: Youthful and relatively inexperienced,
Trpeski will face an uphill battle in trying to carve an
economic policy niche for his ministry in PM Gruevski's
cabinet. Given NSDP's lack of a strong "bench" on economic
issues, however, Trpeski figured as the only NSDP candidate
able to fill Rafajlovska's shoes. He is unlikely to be any
more successful than his predecessor was in trying to offset
the overwhelming influence on economic issues wielded by
Deputy PM Stavreski, who is responsible for nearly all
critical economic policy decisions in the Gruevski
government. End Comment.
MILOVANOVIC