• Sunday, 30 June 2024

Levica submits revised draft-referendum question to Speaker Xhaferi

Levica submits revised draft-referendum question to Speaker Xhaferi
Skopje, 11 November 2022 (MIA) – MP and Levica leader Dimitar Apasiev told a press conference on Friday that he has submitted a revised initiative for scheduling of a mandatory referendum regarding the ‘French proposal’. “In the initiative, I insist on maintenance of the initial wording of the question but also offer an alternative option saying “Are you in favor of EU negotiations by accepting the adopted parliamentary positions contained in the conclusions? It remains to be seen how the Speaker will respond,” said Apasiev. In case the initiative is rejected, the Levica leader said legal and political mechanisms would be used, such as complaints before courts and the anti-discrimination commission, but also blockades in the Parliament by the party’s two lawmakers. Back in October, Xhaferi rejected Levica’s motion for a referendum with the question “Are you in favor of continuing the EU negotiations by accepting the parliamentary conclusions of 16 July 2022?”, saying it was not drafted in accordance with the Rules of Procedures and the question was not properly formulated. Prior to that, the Speaker also rejected the referendum initiative of VMRO-DPMNE for termination of the law ratifying the Bulgaria Friendship Treaty, elaborating it is unconstitutional since international agreements ratified in line with the Constitution are part of the domestic legal order and cannot be changed by law.