Skopje, 1 July 2024 (MIA) - Constitutional amendments are a necessity and there is no alternative concerning the Republic of North Macedonia's accession to the EU, said Minister of European Affairs Orhan Murtezani at a press conference following his first official meeting with EU Ambassador David Geer.

Murtezani says that the constitutional amendments will certainly happen, but they need to be part of an inclusive process that involves broad national consensus.

“As the ‘Worth it’ coalition, we have stated our position that constitutional amendments are a necessity and that there is no alternative concerning the Republic of North Macedonia's accession to the EU. The constitutional amendments will certainly happen, but we have seen in the past that this needs to be an inclusive, broader process to achieve broad national consensus,” Murtezani said.

He said that the previous government's attempt to implement the constitutional amendments without including the opposition was a mistake.

"The previous government tried to achieve this without VMRO-DPMNE, and we know how that turned out. On top of that, the new government has tasked us with making this a more inclusive process. It’s a positive sign that there are no doubts about the country's EU membership and Euro-Atlantic path. What is being slowed down is the protocol emerging from the negotiating framework. We will certainly find the best solution through intensive negotiations and discussions with the EU and the Government, aiming not to create obstacles to the path of European integration," Murtezani said.

Photo: MIA