Skopje, 1 July 2023 (MIA) – Minister of Foreign Affairs Bujar Osmani said Saturday that the proposed constitutional amendments will be submitted to Parliament once all possibilities for a consensual process are exhausted. The Minister added that in the meantime they are working with the “ideological line” within VMRO-DPMNE which “understands the consequences of the country’s isolation.”

“The possibilities with VMRO-DPMNE are slowly being exhausted, but they’re not fully exhausted yet. There is still hope that they will be reasonable enough to understand the situation, and won’t play into the hands of the Bulgarian extremists. We are not rushing, in order to give them a chance, because if the amendments are submitted by one side, it is clear that the debate will be different. We are giving them a chance to be reasonable, to grasp the moment and so that we can see if someone there is working against the interests of the Macedonian people and country,” said Osmani in answer to a journalist’s question at a press conference Saturday.

The Foreign Minister said they will work with the ideological line within the party which is in favor of a fast-tracked integration for the country, and not in favor of a country with open disputes.

“I am convinced, and I already see signals within VMRO-DPMNE of an ideological divide over what I am talking about, there are people within VMRO-DPMNE, according to my information, who are insistent that we mustn’t miss our chance to make a clear distinction in the Constitution that the Bulgarians are a minority in the country. A complete ideological line within VMRO-DPMNE which understands the consequences of the country’s isolation. Two tracks are being created right now – a fast track and a track of countries with open disputes. It is up to us to decide which track we want to be a part of,” said Osmani. 

Asked when the separate meetings with VMRO-DPMNE MPs will begin, Osmani said that they’re already communicating with the MPs.

“We are communicating, and this is not a form of pressure but an attempt to explain the arguments, then it is up to them which track they will choose,” said Osmani, who held a press conference Saturday on the occasion of the country assuming the Chairpersonship of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP).