The Macedonian opposition led by VMRO-DPMNE demands at all costs the early announcement of early elections, in order to overcome the political situation created after the suspension of the parliament session on constitutional amendments. Meanwhile, the government accuses VMRO of its anti-European policies. Analysts, meanwhile, do not rule out the possibility of deepening the political crisis in the country, something that would have consequences for the integration path of North Macedonia. This country must include the Bulgarian minority in its constitution, as a condition to continue talks with the European Union. But, for this, he needs two-thirds of the votes in the parliament.
The Macedonian opposition insists on early parliamentary elections at a time when the country is facing the challenges of changing the constitution and thus the path of integration into the European Union. VMRO-DPMNE, seeing that the parliamentary majority does not have and cannot reach the necessary numbers of two-thirds of the legislators who would vote for the inclusion of the Bulgarian minority in the Preamble of the Kushetetua, now sees the quick exit as the only solution in early elections.
VMRO strongly opposes the approval of the amendment of the constitution calling the government’s readiness for this as “a Bulgarian diktat”.
While the government accuses the VMRO of anti-European policies, because the change of the constitution represents the only and last chance to continue the EU integration talks, the VMRO rejects the accusations, while criticizing the government for the strategy of procrastination of the voting process, because SDSM and DUI know, according to her, that they cannot pass. VMRO says that therefore it has no other choice but to announce early elections.
Macedonian opposition officials say that what SDSM and DUI have done is a loss for the Macedonian people:
“Because 80% of the people do not accept this solution; that’s why we have to go to the elections”, says Vllado Misajllovski of VMRO-DPMNE.
Even the Albanian opposition wants early elections, although it does not rule out the possibility of voting on constitutional changes.
Meanwhile, the parties of the government coalition emphasize that the only ideology of VMRO-DPMNE is to block and isolate the country. Prime Minister Kovacevski estimates that citizens with a pro-European orientation will not forget and will not forgive this to VMRO.
On the other hand, analysts think that the situation is heading towards causing negative effects for the country. Analyst Jelal Neziri says that the lack of two-thirds of the deputies and votes in the parliament as well as the lack of a political will for consensus on this issue can bring and produce new political crises.
“These crises would occur in a not so enviable, not so good situation, both internally and in the geopolitical context in which the country is located. If the constitutional changes are not approved, it will be precisely North Macedonia that will stop itself from continuing the path towards integration into the European Union”, Mr. Neziri emphasizes.
The European Union has set a condition for North Macedonia to include the Bulgarian minority in its Constitution after a compromise on this between Skopje and Sofia. Meanwhile, the government authorities in Skopje have expressed their willingness to include the Croatian, Montenegrin, Jewish and Egyptian minorities in the Preamble in addition to the Bulgarian minority, but do not accept the removal of the wording “20%”, a reference to Albanians and the Albanian language in Constitution.
