The session for the constitutional changes was postponed for Friday. A deal between the government and Bilall Kasami’s BESA on the nationality issue wasn’t reached. BESA isn’t giving up on its demand for removal of the word “Macedonians” for those that aren’t ethnic Macedonians. Though PM Zoran Zaev said “Macedonian/ citizen of the Republic of North Macedonia” had to remain, ...

The ruling majority is convinced that the constitutional amendments will receive the required two-thirds support despite the amendments announced by the Albanian opposition bloc. It expects the changes to be voted through in the final stage even with over 80 votes. Bilall Kasami’s BESA will file three amendments, which concern the languages law, Preamble and diaspora. Alliance for Albanians, too, ...

At a press-conference on Friday, PM Zoran Zaev said the demands by BESA and Alliance for Albanians regarding constitutional changes caused changes that weren’t of identity and Ohrid Framework Agreement nature. However, he added MPs had a legitimate right to demand that. The PM called for the inclusive process to continue. Zaev hopes that the spring of 2019 will see ...

President of the Alliance of Albanians Ziadin Sela assesses that his party is the true opposition party whose representative should have attended the leaders meeting and should have its member in SEC rather than the Besa wing led by Kasami. Sela extended support to the name agreement with Greece, but the Alliance will present amendments once the Constitution is open ...

Leaders of the four biggest political parties in Macedonia after almost a six-hour debate reached agreement on part of the issues on the table in the first part of the Monday leaders’ meeting. Despite initial statements that agreement was reached on SEC composition, party funding law and technocratic government ahead of elections party leaders failed to align on the referendum ...

The leaders’ meeting on Thursday, taking place in shortened format i.e. the leaders and one representatives from the four biggest political parties, was concluded after nearly four hours, but no agreement was reached around the issues related to the coming referendum and the formation of the State Election Commission. The meeting was attended by the leaders of SDSM, DUI, VMRO-DPMNE ...