Skopje, 2 June 2024 (MIA) – Parliament Speaker Afrim Gashi, responding to a question about preserving the Ohrid Framework Agreement and remarks that he became the speaker with fewer votes than the European Front, said, "Anyone familiar with the Framework Agreement and the Constitution of North Macedonia knows well that this is not even part of the Framework Agreement."

"Maybe he forgot, that was the 'May Agreement' he signed with Nikola Gruevski, which he himself violated, but such an agreement was never part of the constitution and cannot be in the constitution because it contradicts every democratic right. The government is formed with 61 MPs, with a majority, and on the other hand, the Albanian coalition, Worth It received 107,000 votes, which fully legitimizes the Albanians in this Parliament," Gashi said in an interview with Radio Free Europe.

Gashi said that the MPs from the Worth It coalition will advocate for the fastest possible integration of our country into the European Union, but, he added, that it is a complex issue, and we will all work together for it to happen as quickly as possible.

Regarding when the first parliamentary session will be scheduled, he said that plenary sessions will be scheduled in consultation with all political parties.

"We already had an informal meeting yesterday with representatives of political parties, we are waiting for the parliamentary groups and coordinators to be formalized, and as soon as we have consensus from the majority of political parties, we will proceed to convene a new session," Gashi said.

As a coalition already in formation between VMRO-DPMNE, ZNAM, and Worth It, he emphasized, "it has been agreed that the new government will begin with a new organization of the state, ministries, and portfolios."

"We aim to enact this law first, enabling the government to be elected in line with its provisions and the new organizational structure. Hence, we will strive together with all political parties in the Parliament to ensure that this law is among the first to be introduced in the plenary session," Gashi said.

He confirmed that in that package, amendments to laws will also be included to prevent early local elections in municipalities where they become MPs.