Mejhit: One year was not enough time for constitutional changes

Mejti: One year was not enough time for constitutional changes

The issue of constitutional changes, necessary for the continuation of negotiations with the European Union, continues to cause fierce clashes between the government and the opposition in North Macedonia.

The government in North Macedonia remains firmly opposed to constitutional changes at this stage, which was also confirmed by the recent statements of Foreign Minister Timco Mucunski in an interview with Politiko magazine. He stressed that the country is not ready to undertake the changes requested by Bulgaria unless it receives strong guarantees from the European Union that this will be the last condition of this kind. “Our fear is: if we make constitutional changes, what will happen if after six months Bulgaria comes back with demands related to history, identity or language?” Mucunski declared.

According to him, North Macedonia is committed to other reforms necessary for European integration, which are not only EU requirements, but also a necessity for society. “If tomorrow the member states tell us that we need to do more in the area of ​​the rule of law or good governance – we understand this. And we not only understand it, but we feel it as our obligation,” the minister added.

Deputy Prime Minister Izet Mexhiti from the VLEN coalition admitted that the promise made for constitutional changes within six months has not been fulfilled, emphasizing that one year of government is not enough for such a complex process.

“VALEN has been working hard for a year. It is among the top priorities and we do not retreat from the top priorities. I believe we will achieve this too. One year is not enough time for such solutions,” declared Mexhiti.

On the other hand, former Foreign Minister and DUI official, Bujar Osmani, accused the government of deliberately avoiding the topic of the EU.

“It’s a strategy. Why? Because if you enter the EU chapters, all the monitoring mechanisms will come to you… These people don’t want controls from the EU. They want authoritarian control of the system. The EU will demand equality of ethnic communities. These people have started a process of dismantling the Ohrid Agreement, of excluding Albanians. And a strategic movement of the country towards the Serbian world and the Russian world. This is the policy of this government. The cooperation of VLEN with this policy is sad,” said Osmani.

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski has repeated several times that constitutional changes will not occur, neither before nor after the local elections, which according to the Albanian opposition constitutes open sabotage of the European path.

Arben Taravari’s Alliance for Albanians reacted harshly to VMRO-DPMNE’s positions.

“Mickoski would do well to cut ties with Moscow, Budapest and Belgrade and stop being a promoter of the ‘Serbian World’. Albanians will never allow North Macedonia to become an enemy of the EU, NATO and the USA,” the party’s response states.

The constitutional amendment, which includes the addition of Bulgarians and other communities, requires a two-thirds majority in Parliament. Without this step, negotiations with the EU cannot begin, although North Macedonia officially opened talks on July 19, 2022 after the approval of the French proposal.