Friday’s Debate on Need for Constitutional Changes Ends without Vote

Friday’s debate on the need for constitutional changes ended without a vote. PM Dimitar Kovacevski said nobody could endanger the Macedonian people, adding that there wasn’t a dictate by anybody. “The changes have only one goal, which is EU integration,” he added.

VMRO-DPMNE, however, reiterated its stand that “there will be no constitutional changes under a Bulgarian dictate”. 70 MPs voted in favour of determining the agenda, while 47 were against.

SDSM MP Dragoljub Filipovski was criticised publicly over a photo showing him playing backgammon on his mobile phone during Kovacevski’s speech.

Following the session, the PM said it had become clear who wanted to see North Macedonia become a prosperous country and who wanted to block its EU path. According to him, SDSM and its coalition are united when it comes to the process, though MP Dime Velkovski didn’t appear at the session, while coalition partner Ilija Nikolovski, leader of the Party of Pensioners, didn’t vote in favour.

However, the PM said that it was related to technical reasons. In response, VMRO-DPMNE again said early elections were the solution. The following day, VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickoski again said there would be no constitutional changes