Skopje, 27 July 2023 (MIA) - I don't believe that the vote on the constitutional amendments will take place on August 17, not due to the summer break but because the discussion will not be finished. Even if the debate begins, it cannot end that fast for a vote on August 17. It is my estimate that either there will be a serious attempt to secure a two-thirds majority or there is no reason to rush a quick vote, when it is clear there is no two-thirds majority in Parliament at this time, says President Stevo Pendarovski.

President Pendarovski told Kanal 5 a vote will take place once 80 MPs are on board.

He adds that the deadline for the vote is November 30, when the screening is set to end. If the deadline is not met, a blockade will follow.

"According to announcements coming from the Parliament, the first vote on the constitutional changes could take place on August 17. I believe there is probably a misunderstanding in the perception over this information. This cannot be the case, not due to the summer break but because the debate will not be finished. Even if the debate begins, it cannot end that fast for a vote on August 17. There is a stage between the first and second vote called public debate. Its length is not precisely defined and this depends on the decision of the Speaker. If we fail to change the Constitution by November 30, a blockade will follow and the screening is over as of December 1," explains Pendarovski.

Asked if VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickoski could change his mind, the President says it is possible to finalize this strategic project through persuasion.

"It is a fact that Mickoski changed his position at the leaders' meeting with Kovachevski a month ago. He later went back to the old positions, but maybe something in the form of a joint government might be reached in order to finalize this strategic project. I don't know how VMRO-DPMNE will position itself, but I was quite surprised by Mickoski's stance at that leaders' meeting," says Pendarovski.

At this moment, he adds, there is no Plan B, except making a compromise over the constitutional amendments.

"This government has no Plan B. Plan B is Plan A, which is to try and reach a compromise. If the opposition thinks it can come to power and then fail to invest serious efforts into changing the Constitution by incorporating the Bulgarians, then even if we hold early elections, it would only mean that we block ourselves earlier. Elections are of no use to the problem we have at hand," says Pendarovski.

On the possibility of a DUI-less government, as demanded by VMRO-DPMNE, the President says DUI cannot be circumvented because of the Badinter vote.

"I don't think that DUI can be circumvented because the distribution of MP seats was made in 2020 and it is difficult to exclude DUI when it has the largest number of seats. This is so because many laws require a Badinter vote. Without DUI, even with the latest transfers, you cannot reach a majority of so-called ethnic MPs. You can take out DUI from the government in some way but you cannot have the Badinter," says Pendarovski.

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