Skopje, 18 August 2023 (MIA) – There is only one motive behind the proposal for constitutional amendments – EU accession, this is what the citizens want. The constitutional amendments ahead of us don’t threaten a single Macedonian identity question. We have to be a European country for our own good. I know that this path is neither easy nor short, but we firmly know that there won’t be a new veto on the European path from anyone, said Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski in his address Friday at Parliament's 123rd session discussing the need to open the Constitution to introduce the changes required to continue the country's European Union integration.

“The proposal [for the amendments] is ours, Macedonian, based on the European proposal and the Agreement from 2022, with which our country, after years of waiting, finally opened accession negotiations. It was drafted here, in Skopje, where it is also being debated in Parliament. I dismiss the false theses that there is a dictate from anyone over anything. And, most importantly, the constitutional amendments ahead of you do not endanger a single Macedonian identity question. The proposal doesn’t impact nor refer to any questions of Macedonian identity. And this is completely clear to everyone in the country,” said Kovachevski.

The PM stressed that the proposal only leads to the current, historical opportunity, to do something good for the country.

“By adopting the proposal, we make a decision not to stand in place, not to wait again, but to step forward towards full-fledged membership in the European Union and to fulfill the set goal of full-fledged membership in 2030. Yes, this is our Macedonian proposal, supported by the entire European Union and our strategic partner the United States of American, to our benefit, for our own good,” stressed Kovachevski.

Kovachevski highlighted that the country finally began accession talks in 2022, after 17 years of waiting.

“In Brussels, the screening process is unfolding in the Macedonian language and it is very successful. We must continue forward, to open and close chapters one by one. This process is essential because it is meant to change us, to transform us, to make us more successful. This is our decision, our necessity, and that’s what we decide in Skopje, not in Brussels, and even less in Sofia. We have an appropriate, fixed negotiating framework, there won’t be new demands, and the bilateral issues are not an obstacle. With the fulfillment of the accepted tasks from the European proposal last year, we firmly know that there won’t be a new veto from anyone,” said Kovachevski.

He stressed that the Macedonian language is being spoken and written in Brussels, and that the Macedonian identity was recognized by Berlin and Washington.

The proposal on the amendments of the Constitution, said the PM, is the result of a fully open, transparent, expert and political debate which lasted several months.

“We did as we promised. Publicly, clearly, without limits and through a broad procedure, we made it possible for all relevant factors, all citizens to be fully acquainted with the need, the reasons and the concrete contents of the proposal,” said Kovachevski.

The proposed interventions to the Constitution, said the PM, only involve the addition of nationalities into the Preamble and into Articles 49 and 78 of the Constitution, when listing the communities living in the country.

“In other words, into the wording ‘The citizens of the Republic of North Macedonia, the Macedonian people, as well as citizens living within its borders who are part of the Albanian people, the Turkish people, the Vlach people, the Serbian people, the Romany people, the Bosniak people and others’, a comma is to be placed after ‘the Bosniak people’ and the following to be added: ‘the Bulgarian people, the Croatian people, the Montenegrin people, the Slovenian people, the Jewish people and the Egyptian people.’ Appropriately, and in line with previous amendments to the Constitution, an amendment has also been proposed in the section related to the Committee on Inter-ethnic Relations, in order to maintain parity in terms of the representation of all the ethnic communities,” said the PM.

Kovachevski reminded that as early as in 1991, the citizens defined EU integration as the highest national priority.

“For me, and for an enormous majority of citizens, this hasn’t changed in 2023. Both then and now, EU accession was and will be the best national, integrational, interethnic, intergenerational, economic, legal and political process. Our connective tissue, our mechanism to improve for the better. This, alongside our NATO membership, is what makes us a country with a goal, focus, cohesion. A country with a present and a clear future,” said Kovachevski.

“I am personally convinced,” he added, “that by voting in favor, we can all be winners, just as how we will all be losers if we vote against, unfortunately the country and the citizens will lose as well.”

“They don’t deserve this, they don’t want this. This isn’t, and must not be a vote for elections. Elections will be held next year, with the citizens, and not you, respected 120 MPs, deciding on the results, as fits a democratic country. From you, I urge reason, conscience, responsibility, honesty and that you are led by the general interests, not by your personal interests. Whatever you decide, you will be responsible, but the first choice will make you responsible for progress, while the second will make u responsible for the harm inflicted on the country and the citizens,” Kovachevski told the MPs.

The Prime Minister stressed that today it will become clear who truly wants to see the country in the EU, as well as who is blocking the European future of the citizens. 

“Today is the day when we see whether those who ran away and obstructed until now will continue to run away or whether they will gather courage and give their vote for the European future of the country and the citizens,” said Kovachevski.

The Prime Minister also addressed the citizens, saying they should remain assured that the decision is being made in their best interest. 

“We call on everyone to stand behind it, and for a change to demonstrate cohesion, unity, new energy and an example for statesmanlike behavior,” said Kovachevski, adding that he hopes the debate will be peaceful, constructive and successful.

Photo: MIA