Skopje, 14 October 2024 (MIA) – First Deputy PM and Minister of Environment and Physical Planning, Izet Mexhiti agrees that the draft law on equal representation should be sent to the Venice Commission before being adopted, in order to avoid partial solutions.

"It’s important for the draft law to be reviewed so that everything is clear, and we don’t end up with partial and problematic laws, like the current Law on Languages, with the Balancer tool. We have no objections to this. I can’t give specifics on what it will include yet, but I can assure you that there will be a public debate involving academics from all universities and experts, to achieve the best possible solution, one that can’t be easily contested in the future. We need to be mindful of the constitutional principle of equal representation, while also ensuring there’s no conflict with the Constitution to prevent a similar situation from arising later," Mexhiti told reporters.

In response to when the draft version might be ready, he mentioned that it is currently in progress.

Government spokesperson Marija Miteva stated Monday that no proposed solution for equal representation has yet been submitted to the Government following the Constitutional Court's annulment of the Balancer. She noted that the issue is still under discussion within the coalition and will be subject to a broader debate. The Government's stance is that the draft law should be reviewed by the Venice Commission before it is finalized.

Following the annulment of the Balancer tool, the “Worth It” coalition revealed plans for a draft law. Health Minister Arben Taravari mentioned in a statement on Saturday that the drafting process is underway and that a public discussion is scheduled for this week.

Photo: MIA archive