• Wednesday, 03 July 2024

Constitutional revision process requires at least three-and-a-half months

Constitutional revision process requires at least three-and-a-half months
Skopje, 7 November 2022 (MIA) – At least three-and-a-half months are required to finalize the three stages of the constitutional changes, taking into account the shortest timeframes. In the first stage, the Parliament should decide on the need for constitutional changes through a two-thirds majority. The second stage includes the specification of the draft-amendments, which requires a simple majority, whereas the third and final stage encompasses the adoption of the amendments and a two-thirds majority. According to the Parliament’s Rules of Procedures, the first stage can last up to 20 days, ten days each for a committee debate and plenary session. During the second stage, at least 30 days have to pass from the submission of the draft-amendments to the Parliament up to the date of the plenary session. Each amendment can be debated up to three days both in the committee and the plenary. Once they are specified, the amendments will be put for public debate, which timeframe is determined by the Parliament. Afterwards, the Government prepares the amendments and submits them to the Parliament, which must schedule a session on their adoption within 30 days. The amendments are considered adopted if endorsed by 80 lawmakers, whereas amendment in the Preamble requires both two-thirds and Badinter majority.