VOA标准英语 Macedonian Election Winner Pledges End to Name Dispu

The man who has won Macedonia's presidential elections has pledged to solve a dispute with Greece over his country's name, which has delayed its entry into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
　
Gjorgje Ivanov, accompanied by his wife Maja, left, greets supporters, 06 Apr 2009

The opposition¹ conceded defeat in Macedonia's presidential runoff election to Gjorgje Ivanov, the candidate of the ruling conservative VMRO-DPMNE party, after official results showed he received more than 60 percent of the vote.

The 49-year-old international law professor beat his opponent, former minister Ljubomir Frckovski of the main opposition Social Democratic Union of Macedonia.

Ivanov said Sunday's ballot² would boost his country's attempts to join the European Union and NATO.

In a major turnaround, Ivanov also pledged that as president he would seek a solution to the 18-year dispute with neighbor Greece over his country's name.

He says with these elections Macedonians have paved the way for the country's European integration³. Ivanov added, "I hope that together with all institutions we can realize three key goals - E.U. and NATO membership and solving the name issue" with Greece.

NATO-member Greece has blocked Macedonia's efforts to join the alliance.

Since Macedonia gained independence in 1991, Athens has demanded that the Balkan republic change or amend⁴ its name, saying it wants to protect its own northern province called Macedonia from potential territorial⁵ claims.

Macedonia had hoped to impress the European Union and NATO by holding peaceful and fair elections after fraud and violence, including one death, tainted⁶ parliamentary voting last year.

But EU Ambassador to Macedonia Erwan Fouere said he had reservations about Sunday's vote, which was observed by hundreds of international monitors.

"Overall I can say that the process seems to be working normally," the ambassador added. "We have, however, witnessed a number of incidents of intimidation⁷. And we are receiving reports of a lot of irregularities in the Struga area. And it is absolutely vitally important that every opportunity be taken by the political parties to ensure that their activists⁸ refrain from any intimidation, so that the citizens can go and vote freely."

Election observers say voter turnout barely exceeded the 40 percent requirement for the results to count.

Besides choosing a president, Macedonians also voted for mayors of 43 municipalities, including in the capital Skopje, where the ruling conservatives claimed their candidate had won.

Gjorgje Ivanov will succeed Branko Crvenkovski as the fourth president since Macedonia broke away from Yugoslavia, 18 years go.

Although largely a ceremonial post, the president is supreme⁹ commander of the army and has decision-making authority in foreign policy and the judiciary.

Ivanov will inherit a still volatile¹⁰ country where ethnic¹¹ Albanians make up a quarter of Macedonia's two million people. The country narrowly avoided war between ethnic Albanians and Macedonians in 2001.

1 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

2 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。

3 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。

4 amend   

vt.修改，修订，改进；n.[pl.]赔罪，赔偿

参考例句：

• The teacher advised him to amend his way of living.老师劝他改变生活方式。
• You must amend your pronunciation.你必须改正你的发音。

5 territorial   

adj.领土的，领地的

参考例句：

• The country is fighting to preserve its territorial integrity.该国在为保持领土的完整而进行斗争。
• They were not allowed to fish in our territorial waters.不允许他们在我国领海捕鱼。

6 tainted   

adj.腐坏的；污染的；沾污的；感染的v.使变质( taint的过去式和过去分词 )；使污染；败坏；被污染，腐坏，败坏

参考例句：

• The administration was tainted with scandal. 丑闻使得政府声名狼藉。
• He was considered tainted by association with the corrupt regime. 他因与腐败政府有牵连而名誉受损。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 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。

8 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

10 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

11 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。