Up to ten MPs from smaller ethnic Albanian parties could soon boost the government’s narrow majority in parliament, but settling their petty feuds so that they can all join his administration poses a challenge for Prime Minister Zoran Zaev.
The first problem is an ongoing split between members of the small opposition BESA party who together control five MPs in the Macedonian legislature.
Although both factions – who both insist they are the true BESA – say they would consider joining Zaev’s government, one says it is not willing to share space in his administration.
The BESA faction led by Afrim Gashi, which controls three MPs, was adamant that it would not share power with their former colleagues from the rival faction.
“If there was any room for cooperation with them, the split would not have happened,” said Orhan Murtezani from the BESA faction led by Gashi.
The other part of BESA, however, which controls two MPs and is led by Bilal Kasami, sounded more conciliatory.
“We would not mind if Gashi’s BESA joins the government, considering that [one of BESA’s primary opponents in the ethnic Albanian bloc], the Democratic Union for Integration is already there,” an unnamed high-ranking official from the faction told the Plus Info news website on Monday.
But the same source was categorical that they would mind if another small opposition party, the Democratic Party of Albanians, DPA, and its three MPs, joins the government.
The DPA also hinted at its readiness to join the government after Zaev over the last weekend told media that he is working to boost parliamentary support for his administration soon. Unnamed high-raning sources from the DPA told Telma TV they were willing to consider joining Zaev.
Another party, the Alliance for Albanians, which effectively controls two out of its three MPs, also said it was willing to consider rejoining Zaev’s government after leaving it just after the October local polls.
“We have not received a concrete offer,” a senior member of the Alliance, Arben Taravari told media on Tuesday.
“If we get an offer from Zaev for joining the government, the party will consider it,” he added.
However, it is very likely that the Alliance would also strongly object to the DPA taking a role in the administration.
The Alliance party, led by Zijadin Sela, a DPA defector, has repeated several times in the past that it wants nothing to do with the DPA.
For more read the full of article at The Balkaninsight
