The elected mayor of Heimarra and Member of the European Parliament of New Democracy will remain in prison until October…
![skopjie-parliament](https://defenceredefined.com.cy/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/skopjie-parliament.jpg)
The group of experts on constitutional changes concluded, during the meeting on Friday, on the revision proposal of the Constitution of Skopje.
The proposal will be submitted to the government, which will then have to forward to the parliament a relevant initiative for the processing of the proposal by the competent parliamentary committees.
The head of the expert group, Margarita Tsača Nikolovska, stated that the amendments concern mainly the preamble of the Constitution with the addition of various ethnicities and in particular Bulgarians, Croats, Montenegrins, Slovenes, Jews, and (Balkan) Egyptians.
The Prime Minister of the state, Dimitar Kovacevsky, said that from Monday the government will be examining the proposal of the expert committee, also inviting the leader of the largest opposition party, VMRO-DPMNE, which opposes this amendment to the Constitution, to a meeting in order to examine the European course of the country.
The possibility of amending the Constitution, on the basis of an agreement between Skopje and Bulgaria, in order to include the Bulgarian minority living in the country, upsets Skopje, with relations between the two countries being strained.
Bulgaria has blocked the start of Skopje’s accession negotiations with the EU for two years due to open ethnic, linguistic, and historical differences between the two countries, which has provoked strong reactions from Skopje.
However, last summer, the two countries reached an agreement, based on a proposal from the European Union, under which Sofia would lift its veto on Skopje’s opening of accession negotiations with the EU, provided that the state will proceed to amend its Constitution, with the inclusion of the Bulgarian minority living in the country.
Also read: EU | Accession negotiations begin with Skopje and Albania
This agreement provoked strong reactions from Skopje’s largest opposition party, the right-wing VMRO-DPMNE, which has generally declared that it will not consent to such an amendment to the country’s Constitution.
The amendment of the Constitution requires a 2/3 majority in the Parliament, which the government in Skopje and the parties supporting the agreement with Bulgaria do not currently have.
According to the latest population census carried out in 2021 in Skopje, Bulgarians make up only 0.2% of the country’s population (a total of 3,500 people), a fact which the official Sofia disputes, considering the percentage of Bulgarians in Skopje to be much larger.
Source: Euronews
Also read: Germany | Calls on Skopje to amend its Constitution
READ MORE
Ukraine | Satellite images depict destruction of Russian drone base
Ukraine claims that satellite images show the destruction of a Russian warehouse used to launch Iranian-made drones and train cadets.
EU | Accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova officially kick off Tuesday
EU Finance Ministers meeting in Luxembourg formally approved the framework for negotiations with the two candidate countries…
EUROSATORY 2024 | Missile Artillery Solutions from MBDA
With such a large number of interested attendees at MBDA’s pavilion at the Eurosatory 2024 Defence exhibition, the stand reminded of an…
KNDS | Showcases full range of LEOPARD battle tanks at EUROSATORY
KNDS continues to expand its technological advantage in the field of main battle tank development, as we have witnessed at the Defence and…
THEON SENSORS | Distinguishing appearance at EUROSATORY 2024 with new range of products
THEON SENSORS attended the International Defence and Security Exhibition EUROSATORY 2024 as an ambassador of Greek innovation…
Ministry of Defence | Organization of Hellenic EDF Info Day
A Conference entitled “EDF Info Day” is organized in the Amphitheater of the National Gallery on Tuesday, July 9 from 09:00 to 17:00.
ALTUS LSA | Participates in EUROSATORY 2024 with KERVEROS in the foreground
The participation of ALTUS LSA in EUROSATORY 2024 is among the Greek participations of operational significance.
Freddy Beleris | Ιn jail until October
The elected mayor of Heimarra and Member of the European Parliament of New Democracy will remain in prison until October…