Skopje, 7 October 2023 (MIA) - Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski said Saturday that the presidential and parliamentary elections will be held in the regular slot, but options are still on the table if the constitutional amendments are passed given that a top issue for the country is continuing the European integration path.  

"We have a law on the election of president, a law on the election of members of Parliament, a law on the election of mayors, etc. There is a law for all of this in the country and dates are clear. On May 12, we should elect a new president, on July 15, we should elect a new Parliament, because that's the mandate of the MPs, we should have parliamentary elections. But the proposal is still on the table if the constitutional amendments are passed, as a top issue to continue the country's European integration path. You must now be assured following Michel's statements at yesterday's meeting in Granada, following Commissioner Várhelyi's statement after the meeting in Tirana, and following French President Macron's statement, that dynamics for EU enlargement exists and they are already preparing for enlargement," Kovachevski told reporters at the Tradition National Food and Beverage Fair in Skopje's City Park on Saturday. 

He rejected the possibility of a new leaders' meeting on the issue of elections. 

"We cannot substitute institutions, as that would mean we're abolishing parliament, abolishing political parties and holding leaders' meetings to discuss solutions that are not in compliance with any law. We had a leaders' meeting where I, as SDSM leader, offered a solution to the VMRO-DPMNE opposition leader. If we pass the constitutional amendments on Monday, we can dissolve the Parliament and schedule the elections the same day. Or, we could start the process of constitutional amendments, VMRO-DPMNE to join the government as they requested, and finish the screening, open the chapters within the first cluster, close one or two chapters, which I'm convinced we could by February, and then hold the presidential and parliamentary elections. Those are the options on the table.  Otherwise, I believe that substituting institutions with meetings of two or three people who will be discussing something that is not in line with parliamentary and legal procedures, does not befit a NATO member country and a country that is in negotiations with the EU," said Kovachevski.