1There’s no corruption. There’s only the perception that there’s corruption. The Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the fight against corruption Ljupco Nikolovski says that now the citizens and the media are free to openly talk about the corruption; the citizens have high expectations, but on the other hand the collective awareness of the harmfulness of corruption hasn’t been improved, and that’s why in the last report of Transparency International, the country has been ranked the lowest so far, on the 111th place out of 180 countries where corruption perception is measured.
At the end of the day, raising the awareness of the citizens is part of the fight against corruption. So, if they previously thought some things were normal and common, now they’ve realized it’s actually corruption. And it’s a good thing that citizens at least think there’s corruption. Because, if the perception is based on the completed legal proceedings, new investigations into corruption against high-ranking officials or even combating corruption at the lower public administration, and the closed cases of the Anti-corruption commission, corruption in Macedonia – doesn’t exist.
2Greasing someone’s palm isn’t the only act of corruption. Corruption is the power given to you by the position you’ve been appointed by the party. Deputy Prime Minister Nikolovski can spin us a yard about ethics and morality, but he himself knows how someone here becomes the director of a public enterprise or a state institution, a member of the Managing board, a counselor, an MP, a mayor…
The party is a nursery of staff. God knows what kind of director-level positions exist and God knows who’s managed to become a director. Perhaps, in the party headquarters they tend to forget who they’ve appointed and where. Those people haven’t been made directors or heads of departments because they’ve earned them by being good at their jobs. They’ve earned them by scrounging them off the party. And naturally, since they’re aware they wouldn’t even dream of being where they are according to their qualifications, they use every moment for glory and money. We’re a small country. As if we don’t know who’s capable or not.
About ten days ago, the Dutch Ambassador said that he found it weird that even the directors of national parks will be replaced once the government changes. It’s been ages since we’ve found it weird that transition of power scares even school cleaners.
Now and then the party might stumble upon a professional who’s the right person for the right position. But those are exceptions, and even if they prove themselves, they’ll be replaced once the government is replaced. Or when DUI expresses their desire for that position. Why would someone who feels he’s competent apply, when he knows that position has been reserved for the party. There are people who’ve made a career out of the party. Work for a while at “Macedonian Forests”, then at “Agency For Real Estate Cadastre”, then at “Macedonian Railways”, then at an institute for slacking off, then at an Office for this and that, then at “Water Supply and Sanitation” or something, somewhere where someone needs to be employed, then a member of parliament, then a minister of whatever…
That’s just the way things are. It turns out that people are best off if they’re party members. Even if it’s the opposition. That way you’re protected. Let them be, in case they come back, they’ll come in handy. It’s a strong agreement with yourself that you’re only interested in the personal and party interest. Because the party won’t give up on you. And only the party can judge you. That’s called collision in corruption.
Zaev’s Government has changed the wording, but not the practices. That’s why citizens’ perception is as it is. And it won’t change as long as the public office and the private business depend on the party. People will have the perception that there’s corruption until the moment they see that they can trust the institutions and that once they’re unburdened of parasites they’ll be able to mind their own business and their life. The government should come to terms with that. Even if it’s only a matter of perception, and not the real state of corruption, the corruption perception is entirely legitimate.
3The case with the director of Struga hospital, Muhamed Hasani, who examined patients in his unregistered practice for years – what is it? Is it a perception? Or classic lawlessness? They’ve banned him from working in the practice which doesn’t even have a license to be a practice. And what did they say to him? Shame on you, you’ve disgraced yourself. They can’t replace him for his medical mistake of taking out a kidney and an ovary during a caesarian section. They can’t replace him because he is the director of a public hospital, and did illegal checkups at home. While the director of the clinic of dermatology, who had been on a ski trip in Italy and kept going to work sick from covid-19, was replaced overnight. She even paid a fine. Other directors of clinics and health facilities could be replaced without any explanation, because with the new government redistribution DUI didn’t get a prime minister. And this guy, since he’s from Struga, they’re afraid to even think of approaching him. Why? Because he’s framed a photo of Ali Ahmeti in his office.
It’s the same thing with the mayor of Saray, Blerim Bedzeti, who, let’s not forget, was minister of justice at one point. Now, he’s demolishing around Lake Treska as he pleases. Just like when he allowed restaurateurs to build illegal platforms at Lake Matka, as they pleased. But, because he too has a photo of Ali Ahmeti in his office, no one can do anything about it. Except the party, if he does something really wrong to them.
We have laws. We have by-laws. And we have the arch-law – DUI.
4So now we find ourselves discussing at round tables, debating on TV, beating our gums about what perception is, what corruption is, as if it hasn’t been ages since we’ve perceived the judiciary and the prosecution and as if we don’t know how the state and the municipalities work.
You know what? If you don’t have anything better to do, sit in front of the TV and watch one session of the Assembly. Just to see who you’ve chosen to propose and pass laws and who your quality of life depends on. To make sure how trapped our country is by the parties. Both the ruling parties and the opposition parties.
No one has a personal opinion. No one stands out with their personality. No one dares say anything different from the party. The MPs are robots of the party and obeyers. Not only do they vote there on command, but also attend or not attend the session on the party’s command. Party herds. And because the Constitution grants them a parliamentary immunity, they’ve already developed herd immunity. It doesn’t protect them from covid-19. But it protects them from everything else, even from their own opinion.
5A year ago, the police discovered the group “Javna Soba” on the social networks, where people shared photos of women and girls without authorization. The bullies were comfortable with harassing them until couple of days ago, when the victims came out with their testimonies of what they had gone through and said they had reported the cases to the police, where they were told nothing could be done.
Well, something could be done. Four have been arrested. Something could be done after the uproar on the social networks, the Minister of Internal Affairs Oliver Spasovski felt called out to react, even the Prime Minister Zaev threatened to ban the network where the group was registered.
There’s a flaw in the system when the police reacts under the public pressure, and ignores the complaints by the victims. Especially because the victims are women.
You’re being harassed? Well, tough luck.
Translated by Nikola Gjelincheski
