COPENHAGEN, 11 May 2015 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ilkka Kanerva (MP, Finland) today called on all political and civil society actors in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to work together to promote security and dialogue following the weekend's violence and warned that old ethnic divisions must not be allowed to reemerge in this time of political upheaval.

"On behalf of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, I mourn the loss of life in Kumanovo and offer condolences to the families and friends of the victims. There must be an immediate, credible investigation into what occurred. It is crucial that all sectors of society now focus on promoting peace and co-operation and guard against any attempts to reopen the old ethnic divisions that work against their nation's security and progress," Kanerva said.

The OSCE PA President further reiterated that the country's political crisis must be resolved as soon as possible, through its institutions and relying on democratic principles, particularly in order to safeguard security at this critical time.

"The weekend's incidents must convince politicians that the time is absolutely now to resolve the crisis that is paralyzing the country. They must rely on the country's institutions, guided by the rule of law, in order to move beyond this impasse. Failure to do so presents a threat to stability and security in the country and the region at large. The country's neighbors, too, must now act on their special responsibility to promote stability," Kanerva said.

Kanerva urged political leaders in Skopje to fully enlist the support of the OSCE and the international community at this time.