VZCZCXRO9111
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHSQ #0699/01 2361127
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 241127Z AUG 07 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY SKOPJE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6447
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE 0012
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUESEN/SKOPJE BETA
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 3700

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SKOPJE 000699 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KCOR MK
SUBJECT: MACEDONIA: PARLIAMENT CONFIRMS EX-PM'S IMMUNITY 
REVOCATION 
 
REF: SKOPJE 633 
 
SUMMARY 
 
¶1. (SBU)  On August 20, the Macedonian Parliament voted to 
revoke the immunity of former Prime Minister and current 
opposition MP Vlado Buckovski.  Buckovski is being 
investigated by the Macedonian authorities for alleged 
irregularities in procurement while he was Minister of 
Defense in 2001 (Ref).  The Parliament's vote confirmed the 
disputed August 2 decision by the Parliamentary Committee on 
Immunity to revoke Buckovski's immunity (reftel).  The 18 
days between the two decisions saw heated public accusations 
between the governing party VMRO-DPMNE and Buckovski's SDSM. 
The case will now likely proceed to a trial, though Buckovski 
claims he has presented documentary evidence that exonerates 
him.  SDSM's VP Igor Ilievski told us SDSM will still be 
willing to work with the GOM on issues critical for 
Macedonia's potential NATO invitation, including constituting 
the State Judicial Council. End summary. 
 
Long Debate, Inevitable Outcome 
 
¶2. (U)  On August 20, after three days of intensive debate, 
Parliament revoked the immunity of former Prime Minister and 
current opposition SDSM MP, Vlado Buckovski.  SDSM, DUI and 
other smaller opposition party MPs boycotted the vote.  Out 
of the 61 MPs that remained, 59 voted in favor, one 
abstained, and one did not vote.  According to the 
Parliamentary rulebook, the full Parliament needed to confirm 
the decision taken by the Parliamentary Committee on Immunity 
on August 2 during a contentious midnight session.  Buckovski 
will remain free from detention while he defends himself. 
 
¶3. (SBU)  The period between the two votes included 
heightened rhetoric and accusations between the ruling 
VMRO-DPMNE and its biggest ethnic Macedonian rival SDSM.  The 
government tried to present SDSM's defense of Buckovski as 
unwillingness to fight corruption.  Not to be outdone, SDSM's 
President Sekerinska accused the governing coalition of 
"fear-mongering" and violating the rule of law in the 
country.  During the parliamentary debate, SDSM MPs argued 
that they were not trying to protect their own from facing 
corruption charges, but rather that the Parliamentary 
Committee had not followed legitimate procedures and that the 
GOM had tried to orchestrate a media show surrounding 
stripping Buckovski of his immunity. 
 
¶4. (SBU)  Buckovski had hoped that he might be able to drive 
a wedge between the ruling coalition on the vote.  He had 
evidently believed that MPs from two parties in the GOM, DPA 
and NSDP, might be swayed to vote with SDSM, or at least 
abstain from the vote.  In his final statement during the 
debate, Buckovski made clear his disappointment that the MPs 
from these parties would not support him. 
 
¶5. (SBU)  On August 23, the media quoted Buckovski's lawyers 
as saying that the initial investigation was over.  The court 
has refused to hear any new witnesses from the Ministry of 
Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  The Public Prosecutor 
will now decide if there are enough grounds to press charges 
against those involved in the case.   Buckovski claimed he 
submitted new evidence which exonerated him of any guilt, but 
it is likely the case will go forward.  It is unknown how 
long it will take for Buckovski's trial to start, or to reach 
a verdict. Past experience with the trial of former VMRO 
Defense Minister Paunovski shows that such trials can take 
years, while other trials have proceeded relatively quickly. 
 
¶6. (SBU)  A front-page story just days ago, Buckovski's 
plight is losing media attention now.  SDSM VP Igor Ilievski 
reiterated to us what other SDSM leaders have said - SDSM was 
not trying to protect Buckovski personally, but rather they 
were sending a message to the GOM that it had to follow the 
proper procedures in Parliament and the justice system. 
Ilievski made clear that - having made its political points 
in Parliament - SDSM was now ready to work with the 
government on constituting the State Judicial Council and 
other issues important for Macedonia's potential NATO 
invitation. 
 
COMMENT 
 
¶7. (SBU)   On the surface, this episode of Macedonian 
political confrontation seems to have had something for both 
VMRO-DPMNE and SDSM: VMRO-DPMNE supporters were pleased that 
the government is determined to fight corruption by going 
 
SKOPJE 00000699  002 OF 002 
 
 
after a former top official; SDSM supporters were united by 
the GOM's poor handling of the case in Parliament and in its 
bungled attempt to score points in the media with pictures of 
Buckovski in police custody. 
NAVRATIL