Code of ethics
The writing of this document takes place at a time when the Macedonian people have lost the trust of their politicians.
To change such a picture, a new political movement is needed that will be based on solid and sound foundations.
For these reasons, INTEGRATION – MACEDONIAN CONSERVATIVE PARTY in its foundations incorporates high moral values and part of the result of such a commitment is this code of ethics.
INTEGRA is the first party in Macedonia to have an independent ethical council with high powers guaranteed by the statute and which includes the right to convene a party referendum with the possibility of electronic voting of all members.
With such a democratic and innovative approach to morality and political ethics, conditions have been created for this document to be implemented continuously and not to allow only dead text to remain on paper.
Introduction
The code of ethics is for all people, regardless of age, profession, level of education and political affiliation.
In order to be understandable and, above all, easy to apply, it is supplemented with quotes from the Bible, and the colors are used to highlight the good qualities and practices of green and the bad of red.
In addition to experience and reason, we did not accidentally use our heart when writing this code. We hope that we will intrigue your mind and at the same time reach your heart.
Our political scene does not face a shortage of experienced and smart people. What is missing are values such as: fairness, honesty, love, kindness, virtue and integrity.
In order to develop such values, we must pay attention to the negative tendencies that exist in each of us, such as: greed (greed), lust (bodily pleasures) and greed (vanity) and at the same time have a big heart, strong will and a lot of courage.
Because the fruit of light consists in all that is good, just, and true висти decide what is pleasing to God! (Ephesians 5: 9-10) Political ethics
The name INTEGRA comes from the word Integrity.
People with integrity speak what they think and do what they say. They also have enough qualities and virtues to think correctly and act in the interest of the common good.
The political ethics in INTEGRA is applied to achieve the following goals:
● Moral and ethical education;
● Giving directions for thinking and acting in the interest of the common good;
● Resolving moral and ethical dilemmas in decision making and implementation;
● Develop a political system that encourages and helps promote personal integrity;
Бор Election of people with integrity of appropriate political and state functions;
To achieve our goals, we start from the following values as a basis for political ethics:
● TRUTH
● JUSTICE
● UNIQUE
● LOVE
● FREEDOM
● UNITY
Truth is necessary for honest communication in deciding what is right. It takes patience to implement what has been agreed without resorting to violence. We should have sacrificed love for all and give them equal freedom to exercise and enjoy their rights.
Truth Often the dilemma is whether it is possible to be a politician without lying?
If politics is a virtuous profession, then the politician should also cling to the truth as a virtue. Truth brings us closer to God and to God’s justice.
INTEGRA is a conservative party that promotes true values and we are not only accountable to human beings but first to God’s laws.
The purpose must not justify the means and we must take care of the purity of our soul.
Aside from honesty, truth also means transparency. This means that we should try as much as possible to explain the arguments, thoughts and circumstances that led to each of our decisions and actions. Increased transparency contributes to building trust and leaves no room for doubt or misinterpretation or misinterpretation that misleads others.
Justice Fairness is a broader dimension of justice. Justice refers to respect for the constitution, laws and other legal regulations.
The rule of law implies proper handling in any given situation whether there is an appropriate legal regulation that determines what is allowed and what is not.
That is why fairness transcends right and we should always think about what is right. what is moral and ethical to do.
We are called to turn away from works that bring death and to be transformed into new life (metanoia).
We must embody a “transformative spirituality” that reconnects us to others, motivates us to serve the common good, opposes the negativity that destroys lives, and inspires us to discover innovative alternatives.
This code of ethics contains certain guidelines that should help us to be as correct as possible in our political action.
Nonviolence
Do not conform to this age, but transform yourself by restoring your mind so that you can examine and understand what God’s will is: that which is good, pleasing, and perfect. (Romans 12: 2)
When the word violence is mentioned, people often think that it is only about the physical aspect.
We must understand that violence is not just physical. It can also occur as verbal violence, by slandering or inflicting injustice without having any contact at all with the one we are hurting by our decisions or actions.
People often get hurt in communication with each other through direct personal insults, but also through other much more subtle ways that cause negative emotions in the interlocutor. That is why we must develop a culture of nonviolent communication and develop our own emotional intelligence to be aware of how our way of expressing ourselves affects other people.
Love
I give you a new commandment: to love one another; as I have loved you, so that you may love one another. (John 13:34)
One of the noblest urges to get involved in politics is the love that your country and your people have. If someone gets involved in politics out of such motives, they are more likely to be good politicians.
Just as parents love their children, think they are the best, and make sacrifices for them, so every politician should treat his people.
Freedom
You, brethren, are called to freedom; but let not your freedom serve as an occasion to please your body, but serve one another with love. (Galatians 5:13)
We all want to enjoy as much freedom as possible. We want fewer legal rules, fewer penalties, fewer controls, and so on.
INTEGRA promotes a conservative ideology based on the Libertarian model, which implies maximum freedom of the individual until it violates the freedom of others.
However, we must not forget the conservative aspect which implies abstinence from thoughts and actions that are contrary to timeless values and virtues. This means that we must be careful not to abuse the freedom that has been given to us and to hurt our own souls.
Freedom is a privilege, but at the same time it carries a great deal of responsibility. That is why we need to enjoy it very carefully.
We must also keep a close eye on our own thoughts, words, and actions so that we do not deprive others of their freedom.
Equality Equality is guaranteed by the constitution and laws, but its proper application is often lacking, and sometimes the legal regulation itself does not cover all possible situations in which individuals may face unequal treatment.
For all people in a society to be truly equal, we need to develop and practice justice and love as much as possible.
If we are fair, then we will treat everyone equally, and if we have love for all our fellow citizens, then such behavior will come to us very naturally without any special effort.
1. Ethical guidelines for party members
1. As a member of INTEGRA, you should be an example to others through active participation in public hearings, volunteer actions and other activities that are in the interest of the common good.
2. You should actively monitor the work of the party and all its members and bodies. You should share any remarks, criticisms or suggestions with your colleagues or submit them to the appropriate party bodies.
3. You don’t have to spread fear and anxiety to achieve a certain goal.
4. If you hear a rumor about the party or any of its organs, members or officials, you will not spread that rumor further but will report it (possibly anonymously) to the ethics council or other party body to check if it is true. .
5. If a member of INTEGRA acts contrary to the guidelines of this Code, it is your obligation to report it to the ethics council (may anonymously).
6. You should not expect and seek privileges when it comes to the use of public goods, including any job in public institutions.
7. You and your family need to work hard and be financially independent so as not to put yourself in a position to ask the party for employment privileges in state and public administration. If you need help, it can be in the form of advice and training provided through party funds and bodies.
8. It is your duty as citizens of Macedonia to constantly work on improving your education and skills. Only with strong individuals can we make a strong party as well as a strong state.
9. You must not seek privileges in the attitude of institutions towards private businesses that are in your personal or property owned by your relatives or close friends.
10. During each statement and public appearance, you should be careful not to use insults, threats and other forms of verbal violence. Our political dissidents are our brothers and sisters who need to be helped to realize their mistakes and become better people.
11. You should not insult political opponents, and even when you talk about their mistakes, it should be done with respect to the personal integrity of the other.
12. You should not falsely accuse political opponents and dissidents.
13. You should not use personal disqualifications of a political opponent and insults on a personal basis.
2. Ethical guidelines for party and state officials
1. You don’t have to make false promises.
2. You should consult the expert and the general public to check whether you are managing state institutions and resources in accordance with the wishes and expectations of your people.
3. You should not lobby without argument for you or anyone else to be elected to a particular party or state office. Lobbying can only be done if it is supported by sound arguments.
4. If you have a conflict of interest in making a decision, you must say so and abstain from voting, which does not mean that you should not give your arguments in the discussion.
5. Although careful and with a diplomatic vocabulary, you still need to acknowledge your own as well as the mistakes of the authorities and other members of the party.
6. In case of public acknowledgment of an error, you should also state the steps that you or the party are taking so that it does not happen again.
7. Macedonia is not a rich country and you must not forget our fellow citizens who have financial difficulties. You should keep this in mind when making any small or large decisions about spending state money and other goods. You need to use all your resources rationally and plan for sustainable development.
8. You must not use state resources (telephone, vehicle, …) for private or party purposes. All salaries and expenses for state functions are paid by the people and you have no right to abuse what is provided through the honest and hard work of all your fellow citizens.
9. You must not forget that public officials are not the owners of public enterprises but only their temporary managers. The people are the owner and therefore we should regularly and publicly be held accountable for what we have done, but also for all the problems and risks we face.
10. If you, your relative or close friend is a candidate (personally or with a company in which he owns) at any public competition, tender or public procurement, you must inform both the party and the whole public about the application. to request that the election procedure be conducted with an increased degree of transparency, and if there is such a legal possibility, that an additional non-partisan commission be consulted during the election to rule out any suspicion of possible abuse of your party or state office.
11. Never testify against a close relative. Family is the foundation of the state and you must not disturb your internal family relationships.
12. If part of your responsibility is to oversee the work of a member of your immediate family, you must immediately notify the party authorities to reorganize and someone else to take over.
13. If it happens that a member of your family makes a mistake that is bigger or more serious, it is best to advise him to give up his position for at least 6 months and accept the next position again after he has repented sufficiently and sincerely for his actions. .
14. A photocopy or scanned version of the fiscal account or (pro) invoice should be attached for each expense. If the users of the services were several people, they should all be listed with name, surname and function, and if a name is secret, then only the function should be stated. The administrative service is obliged to include everyone in the party system
costs separately for items if certain restrictions are exceeded, to be notified and to be careful in the future.
3. Ethical guidelines for party bodies
1. The manner of decision-making should be in accordance with the statute and other adopted criteria and procedures.
2. Decisions made should be in line with party ideology.
Final words
This code of ethics cannot cover all situations that lead to unethical behavior.
Therefore, keep in mind the basic moral values of this code of ethics (truth, righteousness, nonviolence, love, freedom, and equality) and constantly re-examine your thoughts, words, and actions to see if they are consistent.
If you are facing moral or ethical dilemmas, seek the advice of the ethics council.
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March 9, 2020
ETHICAL COUNCIL OF INTEGRATION – MACEDONIAN CONSERVATIVE PARTY
es@integra.org.mk
