SkopjeDiem Macedonia in English
With 85 votes in favour and 2 against, the Parliament of Macedonia adopted the necessity for adopting the Changes to the Electoral Code in a shortened procedure. Right after the adoption, a session of the Parliamentary Committee for Political System and Inter-community Relations was started for processing of the law-changes, but was immediately postponed for indefinite period of time due to the hundreds of amendments filed to the changes. The law-changes stirred up the political public in the country due to the proposal for a threshold of signatures from 2% of the voters in the respective area for registration of independent lists of political parties and initiatives for the upcoming local election. President Stevo Pendarovski said that there should be a smaller threshold for the sake of democracy, so that all political parties and initiative have equal opportunities for participation in election cycles. Smaller political parties, like Democratic Alliance and Levica, also reacted against the law-changes, announcing they will use the method of filibustering in order to prevent the law-changes from being adopted. From the initiative “Green Humane City” they also called upon President Pendarovski to not sign the decree over the law-changes. On the other hand, Justice Minister Bojan Maricik said that the law-changes do not pose a blockade or obstacle for anyone.
