Skopje, 18 August 2023 (MIA) - Our party and our coalition are absolutely united regarding the vote on the constitutional amendments, said Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski at Friday’s press conference in the Government on the conclusion of the discussion in the Parliament on the constitutional amendments.

“MP Ilija Nikolovski, the president of the Party of Pensioners, had a problem with pressing the appropriate button, however, in order not to require making a personal statement, the agenda was adopted with 70 votes in favour. MP Dime Velkovski was not present today, his absence was announced, and he was not present in the Parliament, which does not mean that he will not be present at the next sessions,” Kovachevski told reporters when asked whether there is no unity in his party and coalition due to the absence of their MP Dime Velkovski and the failure to vote on session’s agenda by Ilija Nikolovski from the Party of Pensioners at today's session in the Parliament.

Asked about their activities in the next period, given the assurances that they will do their best to lift the blockade from VMRO-DPMNE, at what level they will discuss with the MPs, perhaps with the leader of the party, Kovachevski said that the discussion will be held at all levels as previously.

“The discussion will be held as before at all levels, considering that it is very important issue for the future of the country. This is one of those issues that are significant for the future of both current and future generations. Our citizens want and deserve to live in the EU, but to live in the EU as Macedonians, as Albanians, as Turks, as Vlachs, as Serbs and as all other citizens in the Republic of North Macedonia and an EU member state, and not live in the EU with passports of other countries in other EU member states. And that's why the day we become a member of the EU, we will all together collect all the passports that our citizens have in order to work and live in the EU, and we will return them to the countries from which they were given, since they will no longer need them in order to realize their economic interests,” Kovachevski said.

Asked whether it is true that a member of parliament who was not present today from their party plans to resign and not vote for it in the future, Kovachevski said that there is no such information that a member of parliament wants to resign.

The fact that no VMRO-DPMNE MP today did not speak out to be for and against the constitutional amendments, but only Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, who is an independent MP, made a statement, is one of the reasons for Kovachevski to believe that the constitutional amendments will be adopted by consensus.