The government is drafting a detailed protocol on how election campaign and polling day activities will be conducted, Prime Minister Oliver Spasovski said Wednesday during an inspection of construction works on the Stip-Radovis expressway.

Protocols stress the importance of social distancing and wearing protective equipment. Plans on election campaign and polling day activities are focused on preventing the number of new coronavirus cases from rising, Spasovski said.

He expressed hopes that political parties will set next week a date for early Parliamentary election.

In answer to a reporter’s question whether SDSM will continue to insist that the election is held soon even if the number of new coronavirus cases remains the same over the coming period, Spasovski said that both the government and SDSM see public health as top priority, as shown by their actions in the past few month.

We based decisions on experts’ opinions. Epidemiological data shows that the number of new cases is decreasing and measures can be relaxed. This data will also be considered when making a decision regarding the election. Election should be held as soon as possible because we need functional institutions, Spasovski said.

 

He underlined that the country is battling both a health and economic crisis.

We have to make a lot of difficult, yet brave decisions, to support the economy as much as we can in the coming period. Epidemiological data shows that a new COVID-19 wave is possible in the fall. We must have this in mind when making decisions regarding the election, Spasovski said.