In the second round of the local elections for Brvenica mayor, voting should not be based on ethnic criteria; rather, voters should choose the best candidate capable of implementing their election program., Macedonian Parliament Speaker AfrimGashi told a press briefing Thursday.
Responding to a reporter’s question during a press briefing regarding his take on a statement by ArbenTaravari, who urged all Albanians in Brvenica to vote for the DUI candidate, Gashi says that he disagrees with the idea that ethnicity should play a decisive role.
“That is not how I view things. Unfortunately, for quite some time, our political culture has been defined by these paradigms. I would say we must move past this, and soon. In more urban areas, I believe this is being overcome, or has already been overcome. In rural areas, however, such elements still persist. And it is not just about ethnicity; there is also a form of localism, based on which specific village someone comes from, which, in my view, does not reflect well on us as a country. We all need to reflect on whether, in 2026, the sole criterion for voting should really be which village a person is from. I believe that the best candidate should win in every election, and that we should view elections in the country through the lens of efficiency, pragmatism, and the implementation of projects. Unfortunately, in our country, in certain areas and during certain elections, the phenomenon of ethnic-based voting still persists and recurs. It would be better to vote for the best candidate, for the person who will deliver on their pre-election platform and subsequently serve all citizens, regardless of their ethnic background,” noted Gashi.