Filipche: SDSM will not support solutions that open the door to electoral manipulation

Venko Filipche, leader of SDSM, said the party is not moving away from its principled positions regarding changes to the Electoral Code and will not support solutions that, in his view, create opportunities for manipulation and “electoral theft.”

He stressed that SDSM will always remain constructive on laws of this kind, but not if that means, as he put it, opening the door to electoral theft.

Filipche questioned the proposed voting model for the diaspora, saying it does not guarantee equal conditions for all voters.

“Why should there be different voting for the diaspora and for people who live in the country? Why should we leave fingerprints here, while someone else should vote electronically or by mail? Let them vote equally, the way we all vote,” he said.

According to Filipche, with such proposals the Government is unfairly placing citizens in the diaspora under suspicion that they could be connected to possible electoral irregularities.

He also expressed reservations about the proposed changes to the powers of the State Election Commission, saying it makes no sense for the SEC to be limited to making decisions only on complaints entered into the official record.

Filipche also raised doubts about the proposed changes to the way the ballot is marked, assessing that they could open space for different interpretations and possible abuses.