Skopje, 24 March 2026 (MIA) - The constitutional appeal is absolutely necessary but its introduction requires a constitutional change, a painful topic that entails the creation of proper circumstances, heard a roundtable supported by the Delegation of the European Union on introducing the constitutional appeal as a tool for the protection of human rights and freedoms, held in the Constitutional Court on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski told the roundtable opening that the rule of law is an imperative that must be observed, noting that the Government has worked hard on the reforms that directly impact the rule of law.

"All pieces of legislation have been developed with national and EU experts, a large portion have received opinions from the Venice Commission. Law should not be seen as a buffet, it must be governed by principles and accepted even if you don't agree with some decisions. As citizens and government, we might not always like some Constitutional Court decisions, but we must respect them," said PM Mickoski.

He added that all public officials must be aware of the weight of their actions.

"We agree with (Constitutional Court President Darko) Kostadinovski that the law on the constitutional appeal is necessary but this requires a change of the Constitution. This is a painful topic in our country, considering our past. It would be best to create the proper circumstances for changes in the Constitution so as not to disturb the already upset public," said Mickoski.

Kostadinovski told the roundtable that the Constitutional Court's independence is key for a democracy.

"I am pleased that we share nearly identical viewpoints with the PM on these extremely important topics - judiciary independence, constitutional appeal and financial independence," said Kostadinovski.

EU Ambassador Michalis Rokas said that the Constitutional Court is not just an institution but the bullwark of law and protector of people's rights.

"Its independence and sovereignty are of crucial importance. Approaches vary across EU systems and there is not one model, but the goal is the same - people to have the same rights and access to constitutional justice," said Ambassador Rokas and added that the Delegation would ensure the required support and know-how on the EU integration path.

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