SDSM files an interpellation against Stoilković: Mladić, Vučić and insults in parliament - will the majority defend him?

SDSM and its coalition have filed an interpellation against Macedonia's Minister of Local Self-Government, Ivan Stoilković. MP Mitko Trajčuleski explained the reasoning at a press conference in parliament, and the list is long: spreading hatred, glorifying convicted war criminals, policies close to the interests of Serbia, Russia and China, and insults and threats against MPs.

"It's time for political accountability for one of the executors of Vučić, of the Chinese and Russian agendas, for spreading hatred and glorifying war criminals," Trajčuleski said. According to SDSM, the interpellation also covers content glorifying Ratko Mladić, convicted of genocide, and the party cites the Criminal Code provisions on condoning or justifying genocide and war crimes.

The reasoning also includes the minister's alleged links to Serbian intelligence structures, his trip to China and his appearance with the delegation of the Serbian Progressive Party and Aleksandar Vučić. A separate point concerns the swearing, insults and threats against MPs Fatmir Bytyqi, Arbana Pasholi and Trajčuleski himself - for which, he says, Stoilković has so far neither been held to account nor apologised.

The minister keeps it short: everything he has to say to the MPs, they will hear in parliament. The inquiry committee DUI had demanded over his insults to MPs is no longer in force. DUI now says it will first discuss the interpellation within the party and the coalition, even though it had objections to the minister's behaviour towards its MPs - and asked to see the footage from parliament's cameras, but was denied access. The ruling VMRO-DPMNE is silent for now.

At the same time, SDSM announced an interpellation against National Bank governor Trajko Slaveski too, following the events at Alta Bank. The opposition is clearly opening several fronts at once. How many times has an interpellation in the Macedonian parliament ended with anything more than a long session?

The hard question, though, isn't for the opposition. Trajčuleski put it directly to the majority: will it protect the dignity of parliament and the national interest, or will it protect Stoilković. A minister in a NATO member state and content glorifying a man convicted of genocide - the majority will have to answer that with a vote, not with silence.