Boycott of Macedonian Parliament Starts to Fray

At least two opposition MPs in Macedonia say they may return to parliament, defying the opposition’s decision to collectively resign following the April elections, which they deem fraudulent.

Solza Grceva, from the main opposition Socal Democratic Party, SDSM, has until Thursday - when parliament will verify the resignations of the opposition MPs - to decide whether to return.

“I still don’t know whether I will remain behind the policy of the boycott,” Grceva said on Monday, refraining from commenting further.

On social networks she has said she does not agree with the opposition decision in late May to quit parliament in protest.

“I will stay vocal in stating that this boycott ... is unacceptable for me. I think we should wage our battle to topple this government in a different way,” Grceva wrote on Facebook.

Another recently elected SDSM parliamentarian, Ljubica Buralieva, has also used Facebook to criticise the decision to quit parliament.

“This form of boycott of the institutions is unacceptable to me,” Buralieva said, adding that this was purely her personal standpoint.

If they decide to return to parliament, Grceva will follow in the steps of Roza Topuzovska-Karovska, from the smaller opposition Liberal Democratic Party, LDP.

In late May, she was the only opposition MP who defied her party and did not tender her resignation to parliament.

In May, all 33 opposition MPs - bar Karovska - submitted written resignations to the 123-seat parliament after alleging fraud in the April general and presidential elections.

The opposition insisted that Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski's ruling VMRO DPMNE party won both elections by fraud and demanded the formation of a...