Good riddance, Zoran Zaev
In the end, Zoran Zaev left the way he came in – with a bit of help from his friends. I can’t “prove” that Kate and Kale and the US State Department (not to mention the EU and NATO) had something to do with his more or less sudden departure, nor can I “prove” that they installed him back in 2017 – but I think there is enough anecdotal evidence to warrant that both scenarios are probably correct to one degree or another. And while this implies that Macedonia lacks at least some degree of sovereignty, that is because it has, under Zaev, failed to assert its sovereignty. If a country allows itself to get pushed around, then it will be subject to more pushing around – that is a fundamental law of history, geopolitics, and physics.
Zaev and his regime, accompanied by his junior partners in crime and grift, Ali Ahmeti and his DUI, proved adept at literally giving away much of Macedonia’s inherent uniqueness – the name, the identity, history, culture, language, and much else – and received, in return, membership in NATO, a temporary organization with some major existential problems. Beyond that, Macedonia got diddly squat on the international stage.
On the domestic stage Zaev came in promising a clean government only to see his “best chief special prosecutor in the Balkans,” Katica Janeva, end up in jail. And he oversaw scandals too numerous to list here. Trust in government institutions fell, and continues to fall, most Macedonians – no matter what class or ethnic background – believe the country is headed in the wrong direction, the economy is weak, inflation is raging, as we head into winter inexpensive energy is nowhere to be found, children are often studying on Zoom (and being forced to study schoolbooks changed to suit the Greeks and Bulgarians), the healthcare system is crashing, and….well, you can add to this with your own list.
Now, as Zaev leaves his top lieutenants state that they too are leaving his sinking ship and will not be a part of the next government; others have vowed to form new political parties. And who knows what plans his junior party, DUI, have for themselves or him – remember, they began life before politics with a violent background. Prussian General Carl Von Clausewitz wrote that “war is a continuation of politics by other means,” and DUI might embrace this when it comes to their personal relationship with Zaev. He ought to literally watch his back.
At the news of his resignation, there were a handful of fawning articles in the international media and statements from clueless politicians and unelected bureaucrats over his departure. While he did the bidding of certain Western bureaucrats and politicians for nearly four years, his scandals, his ignorance, his cluelessness, and his arrogance probably had a part in their releasing him from his contract. Zaev himself said that his so-called Prespa agreement with Greece “provided lasting peace, security and paved the path for the economic well-being of the people.” The agreement was illegally ratified less than three years ago: If three years is his definition of “long-lasting” then it is not difficult to see what a bloody fool he really is.
As for his political party, SDSM, on the one hand, I would like to see them destroyed. However, Macedonia does need an opposition party, but a loyal opposition party – loyal to Macedonia – and in SDSM, Macedonia does not have a loyal opposition party. So I would at least like to see the party humbled – yes, they are going to continue with their left-wing, socialist, progressive politics and policies – I do not expect them to change that – but I would hope that they have learned that by selling and giving away Macedonia and all that makes Macedonia unique, they are ultimately killing Macedonia and any hope of a future for future Macedonians, the unborn (not that they care too much about the unborn to begin with). As their party splinters, we will watch and wait.
As for Zoran Zaev, my hope for him – and his family – is that he gets exactly what he inflicted on Macedonia – I want to see the Zaev family name removed from history and ground into the dirt. And that’s just the beginning of what I want for him. I think there is enough evidence to convict him of multiple crimes though I have my doubts as to whether or not he will ever see the inside of a jail cell. Granted, rumors of him fleeing to Argentina, while fanciful, are fun to entertain. He could learn Spanish and perfect his cannabis growing and drug trafficking skills down there, though the locals would quickly destroy him, in any manner of ways. So, his name removed from history and ground into the dirt, a lengthy jail term, or his forced fleeing of the country – any one of these would be fine with me.
There is much work to be done, now that he is not in the position of prime minister. The first step is for new elections even though his puppet will likely get the nod to form a new government; we will see if he can do so given the political machinations over the past few months. New elections would provide a fresh start – and a clear guide – as to what political party has the best policies and plans for Macedonia. Clearly, SDSM and their coalition partners have failed.
The damage Zaev and his cronies have done to Macedonia is enormous. It will take years – perhaps generations to undo it. In the meantime, there are many things that Macedonians can do on an individual, family, and neighborhood level to make sure that the spirit of what it means to be a Macedonian shines bright and is handed to the next generation of Macedonians.