Skopje, 28 March 2023 (MIA) - It is up to the political leaders here to decide over the issue of constitutional changes, said Swedish Ambassador Ami Larsson Jain on Tuesday.

Ambassador Larsson Jain, whose country currently holds the EU Presidency, told reporters that the question if the country would open the accession chapters by the year-end is not one that the EU should answer.

"This is a process that is ongoing on several tracks, one being the screening process, where we are seeing very good progress. The team from North Macedonia is professional and well briefed, which is good news in these processes. Then there is the issue of constitutional changes and we are well aware this is a contentious issue here. This is not a decision that the EU will make, it is up to the political leaders to decide," said Larsson Jain.

On the opposition's stance it would not support the constitutional changes, the Ambassador reiterated these are questions that the political leadership in the country should answer.

"The EU was very clear in December at the summit in Tirana, the first EU-Western Balkans summit to take place in the region, that countries of the Western Balkans belong in the EU family. Therefore, we are looking forward to welcoming North Macedonia into the EU family. That is EU's position," underlined the Ambassador.