Arsovski: Electronic voting should also be made possible for citizens living in the country

Political analyst Petar Arsovski believes that the issue of electronic voting should be viewed separately in terms of political interest and state interest.

Speaking about the new Electoral Code, which is entering parliamentary procedure, Arsovski emphasizes that the state reason for allowing the diaspora to vote electronically is linked to the fact that some citizens live far from diplomatic and consular missions. According to him, if they are not given this opportunity, they would effectively be prevented from exercising their right to vote, even though they are entitled to that right as citizens.

The point being opposed the most by one segment of the opposition is precisely the inclusion of electronic voting for citizens who are outside the country. The proposed solution envisages that the diaspora will no longer vote physically at diplomatic and consular missions, but will instead be able to cast their vote through the electronic system of the State Election Commission.

In a statement to “Lokalno,” Arsovski says that the political motive in this case lies in the fact that the party currently in power has traditionally received far more votes from the diaspora than the current opposition.

He adds that if this right is recognized for citizens living abroad, then it should also be guaranteed to citizens living inside the country. According to Arsovski, Macedonia is small enough to implement electronic voting for all of its residents, even if it is carried out electronically at polling stations, considering that today remote voting can be conducted without difficulty./Telegrafi/