Skopje, 12 October 2022 (MIA) — Levica’s referendum motion has been rejected because it was not in line with the Parliamentary Rules of Procedure and its referendum question’s wording was objectionable, according to Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi in an official statement on Wednesday. Parliament Speaker Xhaferi said the political party's motion violated Article 135 of the Rules of Procedure. Also, he noted, Levica's question was framed “inappropriately because the conclusions are not a general legal act, law or constitution.” “By their nature and content they are a position directing the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia in its actions,” Xhaferi wrote. He also asked Levica to correct and resubmit the motion in line with the Rules of Procedure within 15 days. Levica on Oct. 7 had filed a motion to Parliament to put the question “Do you approve of continuing the negotiations with the EU by accepting the parliamentary conclusions of July 16, 2022?” to a public vote. The question refers to the conclusions Parliament adopted in support of the former French EU Presidency’s proposal to unblock North Macedonia’s EU membership talks this summer. The proposal was accompanied by a bilateral protocol with Bulgaria listing North Macedonia’s obligations in order for Bulgaria to lift its blockade of North Macedonia’s EU negotiations. Levica filed the motion backed by 750 signatures. The party leader Dimitar Apasiev told the press his party was contesting two articles of the parliamentary conclusions. “These are Article 1 and Article 3G that include the French proposal and the negotiation framework. This would practically mean we should expect a new negotiating framework from the EU, without the Bulgarian hegemonic demands incorporated within,” he said. Apasiev said Levica’s question could not be dismissed on legal grounds like the previous referendum motion filed by VMRO-DPMNE. He also said “if Xhaferi plays a constitutional judge,” the opposition would completely block the legislature. Previously, on Sept. 9, VMRO-DPMNE had submitted its own proposal to Parliament for holding a referendum to annul the ratification of the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighborliness and Cooperation with Bulgaria. The VMRO-DPMNE referendum motion was rejected by Xhaferi on the grounds that it was unconstitutional. International agreements ratified in line with the Constitution, Xhaferi said, were part of the country’s internal legal framework and could not be legally changed. VMRO-DPMNE then said their motion was in accordance with Article 24 of the Referendum Law and said that Xhaferi had no reason to reject it. The ruling SDSM, however, backed Xhaferi's decision because they also found it unconstitutional. mr/