The Council of Sages is the new party body of the Democratic Union for Integration, founded at the Third Congress, with advisory and supervisory role. Seven sages will constitute the Council, elected by the President of the party, Ali Ahmeti. The DUI leader has achieved divine status in Macedonia. Only fifteen years ago, doctors in Switzerland certified him as a schizophrenic for which he received a disability pension.
'This DUI Council is the highest party body which will have the competence to suspend the decisions of the General Assembly, the Central Presidency, i.e. all party bodies.
Although the party's official attitude is that the Council of Sages is established to protect the party and its ideological and political platform, it is obvious that its primary role is to protect Ahmeti's position of a monarch if competences are considered.
Founders as 'sages'
According to the party statute, the Council will consist of seven members, including the leader of the party.
Ahmeti will name the other six members, who need not be party members. Except Ahmeti, National Liberation Army ideologist Fazli Veliu, Gzim Ostreni and Nazmi Bekiri will enter the Council.
It is quite impressive that the sages will be lifelong members of the Council, while the decisions brought via consensus are to be obligatory for all party bodies. Moreover, the sages will have unlimited powers. The Council will have to approve every initiative for changing the strategic directions, the programme and the statute. It will also observe the work of the party and take care of the property and the assets.
Without the consent of the Council of Sages, none of the candidates for president of the party, advisers, mayors and ministers, will be approved.
The cooperation between DUI and other parties, pre-election or post-election party coalitions will be endorsed by the Council. Council members will meet whenever necessary and sessions will be scheduled by the leader Ali Ahmeti.
DUI to subsist in the next 200 years
According to the Chief of Ahmeti's Cabinet, Artan Grubi, the Council is formed with the aim to preserve the tradition, program, ideology and strategic goals of DUI.
Grubi considers that its competences are not exaggerated, but are in function of DUI's subsistence in the next 100-200 years.
It is quite unusual that the sages will not have the right to be appointed or elected for a state position, meaning Ahmeti will not accept future engagements as part of the government.
