Venera Azizi on PodGo: In 24 Months, VLEN Has Achieved More Than the Opposition in 24 Years

Government of North Macedonia spokesperson and former journalist Venera Azizi was a guest on the 100th edition of the PodGo program on Telegrafi Macedonia, where the discussion focused on VLEN’s two-year anniversary in government, the work accomplished so far, as well as the recently announced government reshuffle.

Regarding the government reshuffle, Azizi said it is not appropriate to speak at this stage, as talks are still ongoing. According to her, it will be the leaders of VLEN who will appear before the public to announce the names and the respective ministries.

“It is incorrect for us to speak while the talks are underway. The leaders themselves will come out to communicate the names and the ministries. And I would leave it for us to hear it from the leaders,” Azizi stressed.

Speaking about the issue that has resurfaced in recent days over street names in Tetovo, she said citizens should clearly understand that the names were not removed by Bilall Kasami, who, she added, is working to resolve this problem.

“The public should know that Bilall Kasami did not remove the names. The names were brought to the municipal council in 2007, and 20 years have passed since then. DUI has had entire governments, and I cannot understand how they were unable to resolve this issue. The decision was made by the municipality, and there should also have been a decision by the Government, and now they are protesting, just like children when they do something wrong. They know the problems they left behind, and it is as if the solutions are only half-finished, and now they are protesting against themselves,” Azizi said.

As for claims that VLEN is being suppressed by VMRO-DPMNE, Azizi rejected these assessments, listing several projects and decisions that, according to her, prove the opposite.

“Maybe they see us as being oppressed by VMRO-DPMNE, but that is not true. How are we weak when we are completing the Skopje–Blace road, when we have accelerated work on Corridor 8, are building the most modern campus of Mother Teresa University, have allocated 20 million euros for Skanderbeg Square, are resolving the issue of Jurisprudence, have increased salaries in the police and healthcare sectors, and have raised pensions? In 24 months, we have done what they did not do in 24 years,” Azizi stressed.

The interview also addressed the Law on Fair and Adequate Representation, about which Azizi said that after 24 years, a law is finally being advanced that aims to regulate this issue.

“The Law on Fair and Adequate Representation belongs to the government, and VLEN has done a lot for this. We do not work as individuals; we work as a group. The law is in Parliament and under debate, including whether there will be amendments. For the first time after 24 years, a law is being introduced that will regulate the issue of fair and adequate representation. The law has sanctions; the greatest punishment that can happen is political punishment. It has a supervisory body, and the head of this body is the first deputy prime minister. This body will have full oversight and will see which institution does not respect this law,” Azizi stressed.

Venera Azizi took part in the 100th edition of PodGo and on this occasion also brought a gift for the newsroom, wishing that there would be many more programs to come./Telegrafi/