By Judy Clabes
NKyTribune editor
Joseph U. Meyer spent some time on a special assignment to a country founded by the father of Alexander the Great in the 4th Century BC, monitoring election results.
It was a sobering reminder of the importance of the oath he will take on Friday at the official inauguration ceremony and swearing in of the Covington mayor and city commission.
As one of 250 international observers for the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, Meyer and his Latvian partner were assigned to observe the balloting in specific precincts during the election for 120 seats in the country’s Parliament.
The election had originally been scheduled for April, then for June — and was finally held in early December. The early parliamentary elections were “widely viewed as a crucial test for the functioning of democratic institutions, following two years of political crisis,” according to the ODIHR web site.
Macedonia, Meyer explains, is the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The region was conquered by the Romans in 178 BC and then was ruled by a succession of conquerors – from the Romans to the Bulgarians, to the Byzantines to the Ottomans, the Bulgarians (again) and finally as part of Serbia and Yugoslavia. It was not until 1991 – over 2100 years – that Macedonia became an independent nation. Even today its name is claimed by Greece.
The preparations for the election were hampered, the website says, by “inefficient internal organization, politicized decision-making and shortened legal deadlines.” The election commission registered six political parties and five coalitions. Basically, it says, “fundamental freedoms were generally respected and contestants were able to campaign freely.”
The observers, including Meyer, had been trained and prepped. They were to “observe and not interfere.” They looked at “big pictures — laws, structure, etc.” — to be sure rules were followed. They observed the ballot-casting and the “hand-counting” in their assigned precincts. And they submitted reports.
Meyer did note, ironically, the adjustments to the responsibilities of self-governance are very difficult without the traditions enjoyed by Western countries and that the election results meant there would have to be a “coalition government.”
“It’s a very divided country politcally, almost evenly split; and finding consensus in that environment is almost impossible as each side maneuvers for advantage. I’m not optimistic of the success of the likely coalition government.”
Meyer says, it’s tempting to conclude that “Governments no longer serve the people,” and that thinking that is “enough to keep me awake at night.”
He finds the perspective gained in participating in the observation process is both valuable and sobering.
“I’m looking forward to serving as mayor of Covington,” he said, “and to emphasizing transparency and civic engagement — and to changing the culture of city government.”
The public inauguration for the Covington mayor and four commissioners will take place on Friday evening. The ceremony and reception is open to the public from 6-9 p.m. Friday at the Carnegie Arts Center, 1028 Scott Blvd., in Covington.
In addition to the mayor, Commissioner/Mayor Pro Tem-elect Michelle Williams, Commissioner-elect Timothy Downing, and incumbent Commissioners Bill Wells and Jordan Huizenga will be sworn in.
The inauguration ceremony will take place at 7 p.m.
Bexion Pharmaceuticals Chairman of the Board and former Covington Mayor Chuck Scheper will serve as the Master of Ceremonies, and retired Kentucky Supreme Court Justice Donald Wintersheimer will issue the oath of office for the inauguration.
The ceremony includes a cash bar and light appetizers.
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You may also be interested in this NKyTribune story about Meyer and his priorities for Covington.
Philip and Alexander the Great have no connection to this small Slavic country.
Does anyone actually research or proofread these stories?
This is not only full of wrongful information, it is full of dangerous information. Firstly, Macedonia was formed some 450 years(!) before the father of Alexander the Great (i.e. Phillip II).
Secondly, the FYROM is in no shape or form any sort of continuation of ancient Macedonia, it barely includes any land that was part of ancient Macedonia, and is thus at best ‘Macedonia-adjacent’.
Lastly, the name Macedonia is not something “claimed” by Greece, it is something Greek since ancient days. Ancient Macedonians self-identified as Greeks and there is Greek continuity in Macedonia in unbroken time for 3000 years, heck part of Macedonia is were the Greek race originated. The same cannot be said of the ex-Bulgarian people now claiming to be “Macedonians” after decades of communist brain-washing..
In modern times Greece has had a province called Macedonia since its liberation in 1913, the same time these people who want now to be called “Macedonians” still in majority called themselves Bulgarians and their province in the Serbian kingdom had no mention of Macedonia whatsoever.
They are simply copy-cats (and bad ones at that) and their aggression and fantasies of expansion into their neighbors cannot be tolerated (these ideas of neighboring land belonging to them are taught in their schools as “history” and officially promoted via plaques and politicians posing before maps etc.) .