ALI AHMETI AND DUI CAN NOT "BUY" US

The International Institute for Middle-East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES) in Ljubljana, Slovenia, has increasingly been the object of slander and public discredit by Ali Ahmeti and his Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) and would therefore like to present the Macedonian, Albanian and wider public with an official denial of all false accusations Ali Ahmeti and his collaborators from DUI made against IFIMES during the last month.

The IFIMES International Institute is active in all the countries of the Balkans and the middle East. It is often exposed to various forms of threats and pressures of which we have informed the public several times. In the Balkan region our activities are focused on helping the countries on their road to Euro-Atlantic integration, democratisation and creation of a stable economic, political and security situation and a prosperous society. This is exactly why we are frequently the target of corrupted, aggressive, criminal, mafia-connected political structures which are often connected with and/or related to the war crimes committed in the region.

Ali Ahmeti and DUI have stated that IFIMES has connections with certain political parties and politicians in Macedonia. The IFIMES International Institute does not hide the fact that by the nature of our activities we have come to know almost all politicians in the Balkan region including Ali Ahmeti as well as most other politicians in the Macedonian political scene. However, nobody from Macedonia has ever tried to influence the results of our surveys except for some "mediators" and "envoys" sent by Ali Ahmeti and DUI who believe that they can "buy" everything. Nevertheless, our position is clear and known to the public. Despite their attempts we could not be "bought" even by Milo Đukanović, Haris Silajdžić and many others nor could they have prevented us from being an active assessor of all social processes in the Balkans. We will therefore not surrender to similar attempts carried out by Ali Ahmeti and DUI.

Various forms of pressures and threats against the IFIMES International Institute including the current campaign of Ali Ahmeti and DUI are therefore regarded as an attempt to attack IFIMES in order to prevent its further activities, especially in Macedonia. In 2008 the IFIMES International Institute will increase its presence in Macedonia in order to facilitate the fast resolution of current issues such as accession to NATO and EU and the adoption of the vital constitutional amendments. In its analyses IFIMES will continue to deal with the social processes and public personalities who participate in those processes and it will warn the public of their damaging activities and the negative influence of their politics on the citizens of Macedonia and on the development of democracy in Macedonia's society.

Despite all pressures we will remain present in Macedonia and stand by its citizens in order to warn the public of the politicians such as Ali Ahmeti. We do not have the right nor is it our intention to influence the elections and the election results. IFIMES does not favour individual politicians nor political parties and it is not our aim to take part in the election campaign but to regularly publish our scientific analyses and research on Macedonia, which the Macedonian and wider public are familiar with. The IFIMES International Institute hopes that Macedonia joins the Euro-Atlantic integration as soon as possible, primarily the NATO and then also the EU.

The election which is to take place on 1 June 2008 will be an opportunity for the citizens of Macedonia to decide in whom they will place their confidence. The fact is that all the relevant recent analyses published on Macedonia so far have shown that the coalition led by VMRO-DPMNE and DPA will win this year's election!

Ljubljana, 29 May 2008