Skopje, 23 March 2023 (MIA) - The current parliamentary composition should complete the constitutional revision because otherwise we will remain isolated in the next ten years. We only have to reaffirm what is already existing in the Constitution, said Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani on Thursday.

"I believe this parliamentary composition should complete the constitutional revision out of various reasons. First, because if they are not completed by November, the negotiations will be interrupted along with the consequences to follow. Second, Albania will certainly resume its path. Third, the Kosovo-Serbia agreement reached in Ohrid will surely open an accelerated path for the Western Balkans, rewarding the sides that were constructive in the talks. This means we will again remain isolated over the next ten years and then make the constitutional changes somewhere in 2033, but people will have already left for work in Germany and hope is dead. We only have to reaffirm what is already existing in the Constitution. The category 'Others' also includes Bulgarians and this is the result of the negotiations with Bulgaria," said Osmani.

He rejected VMRO-DPMNE's claims that the constitutional changes are made under "Bulgarian dictate", saying this is a way out of the discussion on history.

"When we started the talks with Bulgaria, the only issue was how to review the debate on the historic interpretation into the European process. We did not accept that historic interpretations dictate relations with Bulgaria, and we did not find anything contentious about the issue of the Bulgarian minority deserving the same rights as all other citizens. On the contrary, we are globally recognized by individual and collective rights, this is our turf, this is where we are at our best," noted Osmani.

He added that Bulgarians are already part of the Constitution, in category 'Others', which can be confirmed by the Constitutional Court, according to which the category lists all those communities that arose from last year's Census.

"Formally speaking, there is no difference between 'Others' and 'Bulgarians, Croats and Montenegrins'. This just confirms what is already existent. Citizens should be told what this issue is all about. Namely, the constitutional revision only reaffirms the already existing naming of all ethnic communities in the Constitution Preamble. When citizens see the wording of the amendments, believe me, they will reject all theses by the opposition, which is trying to build a career by using the people's fears. This is not sincere. Therefore, I am an optimist and that is why I believe (VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristijan) Mickoski will be ultimately defeated, since citizens will realize they had been deceived when they see the wording of the amendments," said Osmani.