Macedonian Municipal Elections

Macedonian Municipal Elections

Question: What is the U.S. position on upcoming elections in Macedonia? Is the U.S. sending election observers? What, if any, other support is the United States providing?

Answer: These are Macedonia's first municipal elections since passage last summer of decentralization legislation, which was mandated by the Framework Agreement and will strengthen democracy at the local level.

We believe that the government and citizens of Macedonia will work to ensure that the elections are conducted well. Free and fair municipal elections will be a significant step for Macedonia in Framework Agreement implementation, and will provide an important demonstration of Macedonia's ability and willingness to meet European and international standards.

Approximately 25 US participants will travel to Macedonia to join the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) observation mission for these elections, and the U.S. Embassy in Skopje will be contributing additional personnel to this effort. In addition, the US and others are working with the OSCE to support nearly 3600 non-partisan domestic observers.

Since 2000, the U.S. has funded significant technical assistance to Macedonia's State Election Commission to promote electoral reform, improve election operations, provide poll worker training, and support voter education.

2005/314 Released on March 11, 2005

Taken Question Office of the Spokesman Washington, DC March 11, 2005 Question Taken at March 11, 2005 Daily Press Briefing

Freedom Calendar 03/12/05 - 03/19/05

March 12, 1956, Ninety-seven Democrats in Congress condemn Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education, and pledge to continue segregation.

March 13, 1920, Death of African-American Republican Edward McCabe; as Kansas State Auditor was first African-American to hold statewide office in North.

March 14, 1920, Death of U.S. Senator Henry Blair (R-NH); his bill to aid public schools in the South passed three times in Republican-controlled Senate, but was repeatedly blocked by Democrat Speaker of the House.

March 15, 1842, Birth of African-American Republican Robert De Large, elected to U.S. House from South Carolina in 1870.

March 16, 1868, Death of U.S. Senator David Wilmot (R-PA), anti-slavery champion and author of first Republican Party platform.

March 17, 1825, Birth of Benjamin Turner (R-AL),
emancipated slave elected to House from Alabama in 1870; delegate to 1880 Republican National Convention.

March 18, 1877, Republican President Rutherford B. Hayes appoints African-American Republican and civil rights leader Frederick Douglass as D.C. Marshal.

March 19, 2003, Republican U.S. Representatives of Hispanic and Portuguese descent form Congressional Hispanic Conference.

“Our destiny is largely in our own hands. If we find, we shall have to seek. If we succeed in the race of life it must be by our own energies, and by our own exertions. Others may clear the road, but we must go forward, or be left behind in the race of life."

Frederick Douglass, Republican Civil Rights Activist

SOURCE: 2005 Republican Freedom Calendar