Parliament Debate on Constitutional Amendments to Resume Friday

Parliament’s debate on the proposed constitutional changes resumes on Friday (Oct. 19), Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi said after Wednesday’s session in which only SDSM MPs took part.  Earlier in the day, VMRO-DPMNE MPs said they quit the debate calling it ‘futile’ and announcing they would be voting against the constitutional changes. Also, they urged MPs of the ruling majority to cancel their speeches and to begin voting on the government motion for changing the constitution. Speaking at the plenary session, SDSM MPs stressed that now is the time all those who have been championing NATO and EU integration to give concrete support to constitutional changes. DUI’s Branko Manojlovski asked for amnesty for VMRO-DPMNE functionaries accused in the 27 April parliament incident, but DUI MP Artan Grubi said this was not the official position of the party.