Page 33 - bne_March2019_20190306 magazine

bne March 2019 Southeast Europe I 33
READ MORE ABOUT
SOUTHEAST EUROPE
Think of the “price of a bullet” not that of a tomato: Erdogan
Under pressure from rampant food inflation ahead of elections, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on Turks to reflect
on the “price of a bullet” rather than the soaring cost
of staples like tomatoes and potatoes. “What is the cost of my soldier’s uniform and the struggle he’s giving against terrorists, think about it!” he said at a rally in the central city of Sivas on February 8. “It’s our government which is undertaking this [fight].” Those who criticised officials over food prices only played to the interests of foreign powers who wanted to undermine
the country, the populist president added. Erdogan referred to such powers
as “Hans or George”. →
Presidential candidate Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova flanked by incumbent Gjorge Ivanov (L) and VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickoski (R).
Macedonian opposition party nominates law professor as presidential candidate
Valentina Dimitrievska in Skopje
North Macedonia’s main opposi- tion party, VMRO-DPMNE, nom- inated law professor Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova as its candidate
for the upcoming presidential election on February 16.
Siljanovska-Davkova, who is not a party member, was selected at the party’s congress held in the southwestern city of Struga.
The first round of the North Macedonia presidential election will be held on April 21. This will be the sixth presidential vote in the country. The new president will replace Gjorge Ivanov, also a former law professor, who was supported by the now opposition VMRO-DPMNE party. Ivanov has served two five-year mandates.
408 of the 519 party delegates voted for
Siljanovska-Davkova. Her main rival was VMRO-DPMNE MP Vlatko Gjorcev, who won only 80 votes for his candidacy.
“Today I called on VMRO-DPMNE as the biggest political force in Macedo- nia to unite with all of us in a common front of those humiliated and deeply offended by the irresponsible moves of Prime Minister Zoran Zaev,” Siljanovska-Davkova said.
Siljanovska-Davkova is a harsh opponent of the Prespa name deal with Greece, under which the country name was recently changed to North Macedonia, and the adoption of the language law that made Albanian the second official language in the country.
The governing SDSM party still has to decide on its candidate.
www.bne.eu