Constitutional changes in focus of PM’s meeting with party leaders
Skopje, 7 November 2022 (MIA) – Prime Minister and SDSM leader Dimitar Kovachevski is meeting Monday with leaders of parliamentary political parties, discussing the country’s European path and the decision to be taken through a broad political and societal consensus.
The meeting is attended by Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi and the leaders of DUI-Ali Ahmeti, DOM-Maja Morachanin, VMRO-DPMNE-Hristijan Mickoski, Alternativa-Afrim Gashi, DS-Pavle Trajanov, DPA-Menduh Thaci, AA-Arben Taravari, VMRO-NP-Ljupcho Balkoski, DPSM-Ivan Stoiljkovikj, NSDP-Goran Misovski, GROM-Stevche Jakimovski, Socialist Party-Ljupcho Dimovski, LDP-Monika Zajkova, Party of Pensioners-Ilija Nikolovski. Levica and BESA leaders, Dimitar Apasiev and Bilal Kasami respectively, refused to attend.
“The meeting convened by the Prime Minister is organized aimed at opening a discussion on the European future of the Republic of North Macedonia, but also on the decisions that should be taken by wide political and social consensus in the coming period in the Parliament. The invitation to the leaders of parliamentary political parties will be extended on Wednesday,” the government said in a press release on Nov. 2.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Kovachevski, after inspecting the construction works on the section of the Farish – Prilep road, said that he convened the leaders’ meeting in order for all the political parties represented in the Parliament to discuss together the European future of the country and all the decisions that should be taken by wide social and political consensus.
“I am confident that they will give their support in making prompt and sound decisions in the Parliament. The talks will also focus on the screening process that takes place after the first intergovernmental conference between our country and the EU, the explanatory screening and the preparations for the bilateral screening as well as all key aspects that refer to the country’s EU integration as the rule of law, the fight against crime and corruption, and the economic aspects of our cooperation with the EU,” Kovachevski said.
Ahead of the meeting, DS leader Pavle Trajanov said he would seek that Bulgaria recognizes Macedonians as a nationality and have the right to association.
“It means associations through which they can nurture their national characteristics, cultural, historical, linguistic and other features that characterize a nation,” Trajanov added.
He will seek political consensus from all political parties because so far, as he said, no one from the state and political top officials raise this issue, “neither the president of the state, nor the prime minister, certainly not the minister of foreign affairs.”
“No one is requesting Macedonians to get their basic rights like Bulgarians and other ethnic communities in Bulgaria,” Trajanov said, adding that he has no objections to Bulgarians to be included in the Constitution, but only on a reciprocal basis, that is, “only Macedonians should be recognized as a national minority and their rights to self-organization should be recognized.”
DS leader Trajanov said that at the meeting he will call for an early elections or formation of a broad coalition government before the elections, then there should be one electoral unit, and all creative staff should be included in the screening process in order to create basic prerequisites for the formal start of negotiations with the EU. He will also raise an issue about the functioning of the system in the country “because there is a huge disappointment among the citizens that the institutions do not function either at the central or local level.”
DOM leader Maja Morachanin said she expects a constructive discussion and responsibility from all party representatives present at the meeting. Everyone, she added, should be focused only on the issue related to the preamble of the Constitution and the implementation of the EU accession reforms.
“I don’t expect an agreement to be reached today, taking into account statements from the opposition that they are still against, i.e. they are asking for additional guarantees to change the Constitution, but it is good to talk together, because that is the best way for strategic issues that are of strategic importance both for the state and for the citizens,” said Morachanin.
On whether the ruling party is ready to give guarantees, she said she couldn’t comment because she doesn’t know what guarantees the opposition is looking for.
As to whether they would agree to early elections so that constitutional amendments could be backed, DOM leader Morachanin said such conditioning brings no good to anyone, because the topic of today’s meeting is the European integration of North Macedonia and to ensure a consensus on that issue, adding that the topic is not early elections.
“For months, I would even say years because this demand of the opposition for early elections practically dates back to immediately after the 2020 parliamentary elections, this is definitely DOM’s position and we have reiterated that our focus should be on overcoming the energy and economic crisis, the most difficult winter that is ahead of us.” Morachanin said.
DOM’s commitment, she added, is to implement the reforms that the country needs more efficiently and intensively, because in the end the goal of European integration is not European integration in itself, but rather a process that should enable the democratization of society and the progress of the society.
“I will raise this as a topic, it should also be a matter of general consensus between the political parties and we should all commit to being efficient and constructive in implementing the necessary reforms, because they are in the interest of the citizens,” said Morachanin.
Regarding the demands of the Albanian parties, Morachanin’s position is that focused should only be on the issue that refers to the inclusion of peoples in the preamble of the Constitution.
“If all political parties say they are in favor of European integration, as they do, and we know that these constitutional amendments specifically refer to the inclusion of Bulgarians, Croats, and Montenegrins in the Constitution, in order to continue the European integration path, i.e. to start opening of the chapters, then I think we should really only be focused on that part. If different topics are opened, whether it is for the “20 percent”, or as someone mentioned removing Badenter, and other demands, not to list all from all the different political parties, I think that it will definitely not lead us to a consensus and to a successful completion of the European integration process,” said Morachanin.
DPA leader Menduh Thaci said an agreement on the constitutional amendments should be reached through proper dialogue and there is no other way to unblock the integration process.
Regarding whether they also have the same conditions as the other parties of the Albanians, Thaci said that removing 20 percent from the Constitution was their proposal, but also that now is not the time for blackmail.
“I always say that I am worse than everyone, don’t put me in such formulations. I don’t know who those other political parties of the Albanians are. If you think it is BESA, for me they are still part of the coalition with SDSM. Yes, that is our proposal. It is very bad when the book you write is taught by someone else at the university. It’s stealing a platform, stealing an idea. I think it’s time to talk publicly about the identity of Albanians to become part of the legal norms of our country,” said Thaci, adding that now is not the time for conditions and blackmail.
According to him, “this is not the moment to give weapons to the opponents of the integration process” and whether they are many or few is not so important for him.
“I talked to Mr. Ahmеti about this topic, we will continue to talk, but we do not have any conditions. And that should be stated very clearly. Then we will talk the same way we talked with Mr. Ahmeti and with our coalition partner and the Macedonian opposition. We have strong arguments, but this is not the time to establish conditions or deadlines. This is a much bigger process than the other one,” said Thaci.
Alternativa leader Afrim Gashi said he is coming to express his party’s full support for the European integration process.
“I am coming today to express the full support of Alternativa for the European integration process. Naturally, I will also discuss our proposed amendment, which the public already knows about. But normally, as we said, and during our appearance before the public, we will want all parties to agree on this through consensual action. But let’s see. The Prime Minister convened the session. I am not familiar with what exactly will be discussed. It’s just important to know that Alternativa backs this European integration process one hundred percent. It did its best to support us to open the chapters as soon as possible,” Gashi said.
He emphasized that Alternativa is not a party that imposes conditions, but on the contrary, as he said, they want to introduce a principle.
“No, by no means. Not now, not ever. An alternative is not a conditional statement. On the contrary, we want to introduce a principle and that way of conditioning will end up as a way of political communication between us. We should discuss based on arguments and what is generally good for the citizens, and not through conditioning,” he said.
Earlier today, BESA leader Bilal Kasami told a press conference he would not take part at the meeting.
“The meeting is a formality to save DUI from the obligation of sitting on the table with representatives of parties of ethnic Albanians, at which DUI should have briefed them on the realization of the undertaken commitments, including the incorporation of the Albanian language in the Constitution,” said Kasami.
He said BESA is always prepared for settlement of issues related to people’s rights through dialogue, since this is of vital importance and an internationally guaranteed right.
“I repeat, we have no dilemmas on the country’s integration but we will not allow the Albanian people to be treated with humiliation in the Constitution. We are a statehood nation and as such we will have to be treated and respected by the country’s laws”, said Kasami.
He added that none of the parties from the Albanian bloc responded affirmatively to BESA’s invitation for a meeting.
Ahead of the meeting, DS leader Pavle Trajanov said he would seek that Bulgaria recognizes Macedonians as a nationality and have the right to association.
“It means associations through which they can nurture their national characteristics, cultural, historical, linguistic and other features that characterize a nation,” Trajanov added.
He will seek political consensus from all political parties because so far, as he said, no one from the state and political top officials raise this issue, “neither the president of the state, nor the prime minister, certainly not the minister of foreign affairs.”
“No one is requesting Macedonians to get their basic rights like Bulgarians and other ethnic communities in Bulgaria,” Trajanov said, adding that he has no objections to Bulgarians to be included in the Constitution, but only on a reciprocal basis, that is, “only Macedonians should be recognized as a national minority and their rights to self-organization should be recognized.”
DS leader Trajanov said that at the meeting he will call for an early elections or formation of a broad coalition government before the elections, then there should be one electoral unit, and all creative staff should be included in the screening process in order to create basic prerequisites for the formal start of negotiations with the EU. He will also raise an issue about the functioning of the system in the country “because there is a huge disappointment among the citizens that the institutions do not function either at the central or local level.”
DOM leader Maja Morachanin said she expects a constructive discussion and responsibility from all party representatives present at the meeting. Everyone, she added, should be focused only on the issue related to the preamble of the Constitution and the implementation of the EU accession reforms.
“I don’t expect an agreement to be reached today, taking into account statements from the opposition that they are still against, i.e. they are asking for additional guarantees to change the Constitution, but it is good to talk together, because that is the best way for strategic issues that are of strategic importance both for the state and for the citizens,” said Morachanin.
On whether the ruling party is ready to give guarantees, she said she couldn’t comment because she doesn’t know what guarantees the opposition is looking for.
As to whether they would agree to early elections so that constitutional amendments could be backed, DOM leader Morachanin said such conditioning brings no good to anyone, because the topic of today’s meeting is the European integration of North Macedonia and to ensure a consensus on that issue, adding that the topic is not early elections.
“For months, I would even say years because this demand of the opposition for early elections practically dates back to immediately after the 2020 parliamentary elections, this is definitely DOM’s position and we have reiterated that our focus should be on overcoming the energy and economic crisis, the most difficult winter that is ahead of us.” Morachanin said.
DOM’s commitment, she added, is to implement the reforms that the country needs more efficiently and intensively, because in the end the goal of European integration is not European integration in itself, but rather a process that should enable the democratization of society and the progress of the society.
“I will raise this as a topic, it should also be a matter of general consensus between the political parties and we should all commit to being efficient and constructive in implementing the necessary reforms, because they are in the interest of the citizens,” said Morachanin.
Regarding the demands of the Albanian parties, Morachanin’s position is that focused should only be on the issue that refers to the inclusion of peoples in the preamble of the Constitution.
“If all political parties say they are in favor of European integration, as they do, and we know that these constitutional amendments specifically refer to the inclusion of Bulgarians, Croats, and Montenegrins in the Constitution, in order to continue the European integration path, i.e. to start opening of the chapters, then I think we should really only be focused on that part. If different topics are opened, whether it is for the “20 percent”, or as someone mentioned removing Badenter, and other demands, not to list all from all the different political parties, I think that it will definitely not lead us to a consensus and to a successful completion of the European integration process,” said Morachanin.
DPA leader Menduh Thaci said an agreement on the constitutional amendments should be reached through proper dialogue and there is no other way to unblock the integration process.
Regarding whether they also have the same conditions as the other parties of the Albanians, Thaci said that removing 20 percent from the Constitution was their proposal, but also that now is not the time for blackmail.
“I always say that I am worse than everyone, don’t put me in such formulations. I don’t know who those other political parties of the Albanians are. If you think it is BESA, for me they are still part of the coalition with SDSM. Yes, that is our proposal. It is very bad when the book you write is taught by someone else at the university. It’s stealing a platform, stealing an idea. I think it’s time to talk publicly about the identity of Albanians to become part of the legal norms of our country,” said Thaci, adding that now is not the time for conditions and blackmail.
According to him, “this is not the moment to give weapons to the opponents of the integration process” and whether they are many or few is not so important for him.
“I talked to Mr. Ahmеti about this topic, we will continue to talk, but we do not have any conditions. And that should be stated very clearly. Then we will talk the same way we talked with Mr. Ahmeti and with our coalition partner and the Macedonian opposition. We have strong arguments, but this is not the time to establish conditions or deadlines. This is a much bigger process than the other one,” said Thaci.
Alternativa leader Afrim Gashi said he is coming to express his party’s full support for the European integration process.
“I am coming today to express the full support of Alternativa for the European integration process. Naturally, I will also discuss our proposed amendment, which the public already knows about. But normally, as we said, and during our appearance before the public, we will want all parties to agree on this through consensual action. But let’s see. The Prime Minister convened the session. I am not familiar with what exactly will be discussed. It’s just important to know that Alternativa backs this European integration process one hundred percent. It did its best to support us to open the chapters as soon as possible,” Gashi said.
He emphasized that Alternativa is not a party that imposes conditions, but on the contrary, as he said, they want to introduce a principle.
“No, by no means. Not now, not ever. An alternative is not a conditional statement. On the contrary, we want to introduce a principle and that way of conditioning will end up as a way of political communication between us. We should discuss based on arguments and what is generally good for the citizens, and not through conditioning,” he said.
Earlier today, BESA leader Bilal Kasami told a press conference he would not take part at the meeting.
“The meeting is a formality to save DUI from the obligation of sitting on the table with representatives of parties of ethnic Albanians, at which DUI should have briefed them on the realization of the undertaken commitments, including the incorporation of the Albanian language in the Constitution,” said Kasami.
He said BESA is always prepared for settlement of issues related to people’s rights through dialogue, since this is of vital importance and an internationally guaranteed right.
“I repeat, we have no dilemmas on the country’s integration but we will not allow the Albanian people to be treated with humiliation in the Constitution. We are a statehood nation and as such we will have to be treated and respected by the country’s laws”, said Kasami.
He added that none of the parties from the Albanian bloc responded affirmatively to BESA’s invitation for a meeting. 
