Following the decision of the ruling parties to push on with elections in April 24, and amid concern that the opposition may boycott the polls, three separate teams comprised of IT experts are to cross-check the data to determine who is alive and in the country and so eligible to vote. “Two teams are to be engaged of competent local IT companies, and one of international companies,” the head of the election commission, the DIK, Aleksandar Cicakovski, said. The data on voters will be taken from various institutional registers, starting from the Central Bank, the Health Fund, the Employment Agency, the Cadastre Agency, the Public Revenue office and others.
The opposition Social Democrats, SDSM, however, said the measures may not be enough and wants “an additional thorough field check of voters… from door to door”. The conduct of field checks, it says, will to a large extent determine whether the party will take part in the polls or boycott them.
Last Monday, in the absence of opposition MPs, the ruling majority in parliament verified the resignation of Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, voted to dissolve parliament and elected a new provisional government, paving the way for elections on April 24.
The opposition has threatened to boycott the polls unless the electoral roll is checked properly for fake voters and unless media freedom is ensured.
Full Article: Macedonia Starts Cleaning up Electoral Roll :: Balkan Insight.