VOA标准英语2008年-International Observers Criticize Macedonia Ele

By Stefan Bos
Budapest
02 June 2008

International observers say Macedonia's elections, which were disrupted by ethnic¹ violence, failed to meet international standards. The prime minister's conservative party, which advocates pursuing European Union membership, won the election. But observers say European integration² could be more difficult following the election-day violence that left at least one person dead and several others injured. Stefan Bos reports for VOA from Budapest.
　

Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, leader of the VMRO-DPMNE, talks to the media in Skopje, 01 Jun 2008

Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski's Conservative Party (VMRO-DPMNE) won a decisive victory over the Social Democrats³. But the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said its monitoring mission found what it called, "organized attempts to violently disrupt the electoral process in parts of the ethnic Albanian areas."

The OSCE also cited what it said were "numerous serious irregularities," including intimidation⁴, stuffing of ballot⁵ boxes and tampering⁶ with the results.

One person was killed, and at least eight others were wounded in election related violence.

Prime Minister Gruevski pledged to repeat voting in 22 precincts that were shut down because of violence during Sunday's election.

A spokeswoman for the European Commission, Krisztina Nagy, told reporters that the EU's enlargement commissioner⁷ expressed his concerns about the violence in a conversation with Macedonia's prime minister.

"Prime Minister Gruevski has given his commitment that the elections will be re-run in those polling stations where violence and disorder⁸ occurred," she said. "We call for a peaceful and orderly conduct of the voting during the re-runs."
　

A girl looks at bullet cartridges9 left behind from a shooting in ethnic Albanian village of Aracinovo, just northeast of Skopje, 01 Jun 2008

Election observers have blamed Prime Minister Gruevski for ignoring the risk of violence within the ethnic Albanian minority, which makes up about a quarter of Macedonia's population. Ethnic Albanian insurgents¹⁰ fought the government in 2001 for more civil and political rights.

The European Commission expressed concerns the election violence could affect Macedonia's efforts to join the European Union and other Western institutions. Again, European Commission spokeswoman Nagy.

"The Commission has defined eight specific benchmarks in March that have to be fulfilled by the country in order to allow the Commission to allow the accession negotiations¹¹ with the European Union," she said. "And the Commission has also very clearly stated during the past weeks that the organization of free and fair elections is an essential element of the political criteria¹²."

Macedonia's government scheduled early elections after Greece blocked its efforts to win an invitation to join NATO during a summit of alliance leaders in Romania in April.

1 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

2 integration   

n.一体化，联合，结合

参考例句：

• We are working to bring about closer political integration in the EU.我们正在努力实现欧盟內部更加紧密的政治一体化。
• This was the greatest event in the annals of European integration.这是欧洲统一史上最重大的事件。

3 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 intimidation   

n.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• The Opposition alleged voter intimidation by the army.反对党声称投票者受到军方的恐吓。
• The gang silenced witnesses by intimidation.恶帮用恐吓的手段使得证人不敢说话。

5 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

6 tampering   

v.窜改( tamper的现在分词 )；篡改；（用不正当手段）影响；瞎摆弄

参考例句：

• Two policemen were accused of tampering with the evidence. 有两名警察被控篡改证据。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• As Harry London had forecast, Brookside's D-day caught many meter-tampering offenders. 正如哈里·伦敦预见到的那样，布鲁克赛德的D日行动抓住了不少非法改装仪表的人。 来自辞典例句

7 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

8 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

9 cartridges   

子弹( cartridge的名词复数 )； （打印机的）墨盒； 录音带盒； （唱机的）唱头

参考例句：

• computer consumables such as disks and printer cartridges 如磁盘、打印机墨盒之类的电脑耗材
• My new video game player came with three game cartridges included. 我的新电子游戏机附有三盘游戏带。

10 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

11 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

12 criteria   

n.标准

参考例句：

• The main criterion is value for money.主要的标准是钱要用得划算。
• There are strict criteria for inclusion in the competition.参赛的标准很严格。