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Russian MP condemns turmoil in Macedonia as proof of West’s destructive meddling

MOSCOW, April 28. /TASS/. The developments in Macedonia where MPs were earlier attacked show that the policy of meddling in that country’s internal affairs and in the Balkans in general is disastrous, member of Russia’s State Duma (lower house of parliament) International Affairs Committee, Sergey Zheleznyak, told reporters on Friday.

"The protests in Macedonia that culminated when infuriated members of the Coalition for a Better Macedonia broke into parliament building clearly prove the disastrous nature of the policy of protectionism, mentoring and brutal interference in the internal affairs of Macedonia and other Balkan countries pursued by the US, NATO and the European Union in that region," he noted.

According to the Russian lawmaker, "by appointing their puppets, imposing the so-called Tirana platform and other elements of the ‘Greater Albania’ project, which are completely alien to the Macedonian people, the US, NATO and the EU are irresponsibly opening up a Pandora’s box." "These Western forces are responsible for the violence, which affects their own allies and opponents, while Macedonia’s population, sovereignty and the territorial integrity of the Macedonian state are being held hostage to these provocative geopolitical projects," Zheleznyak emphasized.

"Under the circumstances, the decision to impose the state of emergency in the country by the legally-elected Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov is a necessary measure aimed at stopping any further escalation of violence, preventing the threat of Macedonia’s disintegration and protecting the Macedonians’ national interests," he concluded.

On Thursday, the Macedonian opposition elected a parliament speaker bypassing the commonly accepted procedure. Later, activists of the Movement for a United Macedonia broke into the building in protest against that decision, occupied the assembly hall and attacked MPs.