Mexhiti: VLEN Leads Among Albanians, Early Elections Are Unjustified

VLEN co-chair Izet Mexhiti said there is currently no reason to hold early parliamentary elections. According to him, DUI continually brings the issue back into the spotlight to retain its electorate, while the government has an absolute majority in Parliament and the functioning of institutions has not been hindered.

Mexhiti said that the opposition continues to demand early elections even when it has no concrete alternative to offer. He added that promises of elections “in three months” or “in six months” have been repeated, while two years have passed.

“I think DUI has kept this issue alive continuously to prevent its electorate from leaving. The opposition, even when it has nothing to offer, demands early elections. The government is focused on its program, its promises, doctors’ decisions, investments in hospitals, investments in education, and what we have undertaken to accomplish,” he said.

He stressed that Parliament has the necessary numbers and an absolute majority, so there is no reason for the country to head into an electoral process that would bring institutional work, procurement, hiring and decision-making to a standstill. According to Mexhiti, such a development would not be in the interest of the citizens of Macedonia, as it would also impose an additional cost on them.

However, he emphasized that VLEN does not shy away from elections. Mexhiti said the coalition is the favorite among Albanians and the leading Albanian party, based on the latest polls. “I think that, for the moment, we are working on solutions, not elections,” he said.