As the end of his term as President draws near, Gjorge Ivanov is facing increasing threats from the ruling coalition junta, specifically calling him not to give pardons to the dozens of political prisoners arrested by the Zaev regime.
Ivanov is particularly being urged to give pardons to the 16 prisoners arrested over the April 2017 incident in the Parliament, but also to many other former officials and DPNE activists who have been arrested on politically driven charges. He has until May 12th to give pardons.
A similar threat came from Ali Ahmeti, who himself received pardons for the war crimes committed by his NLA/UCK terrorist organization.
This would be a very poorly thought out move, if the outgoing President gives pardons. I’m not sure if he has the legitimacy to make that step, and it would prompt a response, Ahmeti said, openly threatening Ivanov.
According to former Ambassador Arsim Zekolli, the double standards between the partial amnesty law approved by Zaev and Ivanov’s possible full amnesty, are staggering.
When Ivanov declared amnesty (in 2016) it was a scandal. When Zaev gives a de-facto amnesty, that is called reconciliation, European values, turning a new page. Endless hypocrisy. SDSM are not opposed to Ivanov giving amnesty, they want to remain their exclusive right to give amnesties in exchange for political favors, Zekolli writes.
