Skopje, 26 August 2023 (MIA) — Top state officials at their meetings with Escobar did not discuss snap elections at all, only the country's adopting the required constitutional changes and continuing its European path, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Political System and Inter-Community Relations Artan Grubi said Saturday in response to reporters' questions.

He said the special envoy conveyed the USA's great support for the country's accession to the EU as well as for the constitutional updates.

"I hope VMRO-DPMNE, which has its own committment to the country's membership [to the EU], will finally find the strength to get over itself, vote and drop this issue from the daily political agenda. Because this is in the interest of all citizens," Grubi said.

He lamented that the content of the proposed amendments had not found its way into the public discourse. "There has been absolutely no debate regarding the content of those amendments in society, neither by the academic community nor by non-governmental organizations or the media," he said.

Instead of snap elections and potential government formation, he said, the public debate should have focused on the constitutional changes and whether they were beneficial for the country.

As regards elections, he said, the same day the constitutional amendments were adopted, the current Parliament would be dissolved and the country would go to the polls.

Referring to the VMRO-DPMNE's demand for ousting the DUI from the governing coalition, Grubi said all DUI members had already submitted their resignations from their government posts.

Their resignations are to become effective the moment the opposition votes for the constitutional changes in Parliament.

"We also gave up the idea of having the first Albanian Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Macedonia just to see it join the European Union," Grubi said. mr/