Skopje, 19 March 2024 (MIA) — DUI is holding talks with all political parties outside the ethnic Albanian opposition bloc to invite them to join the party's European Front coalition, DUI leader Ali Ahmeti told a press conference Tuesday.

"There is time. We are still in negotiations with other parties. It's a process that's been open for a long time," Ahmeti said.

"We are talking with everyone: with the Alliance and with Thaci and with Arianit Hoxha and with the Turkish Party, the Bosniak Party, the Roma Party to join this front," Ahmeti said in response to a reporter's question at the press conference organized to announce DUI's coalition agreement with Skender Rexhepi Zejd's People's Movement.

Asked to comment on the amendments to Law on Restrictive Measures to include the US State Department's 'blacklist' as basis for opening investigation into persons designated for corruption, Ahmeti said the law was currently blocked in Parliament but he was confident it would be adopted in the future.

"We absolutely do not dispute the State Department's decision. We will accept any State Department assessment. The US is our most important strategic partner, as is the EU," Ahmeti said in response to a question about Struga Mayor Ramiz Merko who had been blacklisted by the US yet was still in office.

Asked if he would take back Izet Mexhiti if he changed his mind and wanted to join the European Front, Ahmeti said he needed to "mind his business like a man."

In response to a question whether DUI would step back from politics if they lost the elections — in light of Kreshnik Bekteshi's recent statement challenging whoever loses the elections to withdraw from politics – Ahmeti recalled DUI's proposal to VMRO-DPMNE that DUI was ready to leave the government the same day the constitutional changes came into force, if that was the opposition's condition for them to vote for the amendments.

"It is of great importance to change the Constitution, for the country to join the EU," Ahmeti said. "We are here for a mission, and our mission is the EU." mr/