Grecian Wrestling

Polls by agencies usually inclined to favor the authorities, certain successes at local elections in the Macedonian capital Skoplje, and the many paranoid attacks by the ruling coalition against the Democratic Party (DP), prove that point. A large number of Macedonians also feel Gosev is the right choice.

On the one hand, Macedonia's authorities are confused and weakened, the economy is extremely inefficient, and some of the ruling party's leading figures are closely linked to organized crime. On the other hand, the opposition is radical, noisy and chaotic, as portrayed by Ljupce Georgijevski's ultranationalist Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (VMRO).

``Macedonians are unhappy with both the authorities and the opposition in their republic,'' Gosev said. ``I probably didn't lose too much politically when I left the DPS because I was among the first to advocate democracy, a market economy, pluralistic society, the true sovereignty of Macedonia and the defence of its state dignity, as far back as the period of talks in the former Yugoslav federation.''

VREME: Isn't it paradoxical that the main rivals at the coming elections are the Social Democrats (SDS) and the DP, two centrist parties?

Gosev: We took a centrist position because we believe it is best for Macedonia, because we want to exclude leftist and rightist extremes both in national policies and in society.

VREME: What does the DP think is wrong with the authorities?

Gosev: The people in authority, with some exceptions, have begun a kind of sale of national dignity, despite their claims to the opposite. They are deep in the process of talks on changing the name of the republic and are bargaining over some modifications. I think they shouldn't have even thought about changing the name Republic of Macedonia because it is the defence of the entire history of the Macedonian people. They think it would be a historic compromise but I believe it would be a historic capitulation.

The authorities are trying to keep quiet about the existence of the Macedonian problem in Aegean Macedonia. They're looking for a solution that will satisfy Greece. I think history won't forgive them if they forget about the people who make up 51% of the Macedonian population. We don't want to change the borders, we want recognition of elementary human rights.

In our many talks with diplomats, journalists and other mediators we keep repeating the same question: ``Why are you concerned about the rights of Albanians and other national minorities in the Republic of Macedonia when we don't deny their existence, but you don't ask why neighboring Greece has implemented a fascist policy, a policy which says there are only Greeks there and no one else?''

VREME: What do they say?

Gosev: They agree in a way, shrug, and say: ``We only came to see what is going on here.'' Obviously that problem exists, but there are some forces, which use positions of power, not justice, to behave as they do.

We think the struggle for national sovereignty must be conducted more energetically, with much more marketing, a developed strategy which will cover politics, diplomacy, economics, sports, culture...

Our second criticism is that the authorities have completely abandoned economic reform, under the excuse that Macedonia is under a blockade. The horrifying rise in crime is linked to that. Corruption, bribery and organized crime have penetrated the top levels of the Macedonian administration. They deny it and say that, even if they exist, those occurrences are rarer than in other states, Bulgaria for example. They choose worse examples to justify their bad policies.

VREME: Does the DP see a solution to the Balkan knot?

Gosev: Macedonia has to strengthen its independence now and we are thinking about that. We don't reject ideas for solutions in the Balkans which will improve communication between the people living here, but any idea of a reduced, former Yugoslav community won't hold in Macedonia because there have been signs that it can't be formed to suit everyone.