Zaev offers amnesty for VMRO in exchange for two-thirds majority

Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev called on MPs for national reconciliation, while most influential opposition V The MRO-DPMNE, as a gesture of goodwill to vote for constitutional changes in accordance with the Prespa Agreement, offered amnesty to members of this party that are being tried for riots on April 27th last year.

We all know that the peak of separation and hatred was April 27th. Bloody images of delegates took over the world. Here's a chance to forgive. I know everything has a price, I'm willing to pay, there is no future without forgiveness here in parliament, “a Zaev, among other things, addressing MPs.

He reiterated that there is no better agreement than that reached with Greece on Macedonia's new name.

For this reason, we will use today's plenary session as an opportunity for reconciliation between left and right in Macedonia following last year's incidents in the legislature,” he said.

Zaev believes today's decision -- to accept or reject the government's proposal to begin constitutional changes involving changing Macedonia's constitutional name -- is a historic moment that will convince future Macedonian generations.

An MP from the VMRO MP group- DPMNE, Ilija Dimovski, said the current government has neither elections nor a legitimacy of the referendum to start a procedure for revising the Macedonian Constitution.

At the same time, the Citizens' Association “Return” in front of the Assembly building is protesting against constitutional changes.

Protest organiser Ana Bobinkova Micovska announced that from Zaev and Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi will demand that their demands be respected.

She said the blockades were put on the road before parliament and that they would stay there until the government's resignation.

“We are putting a mortorium in parliament's work not to act on the government's request to change the constitution,” said Micovska.

Reasoning the draft amendments to the Constitution, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev stressed that the greatest responsibility for the country's future lies in the hands of MPs, who asked them to vote on their own will.

“Look to the future and future of your children”, he said, adding that any other choice leads to isolation.

“You must decide whether the majority will win or most will lose”, Zaev said and added: “This is an opportunity to be free”.

The Macedonian Parliament has 120 deputies and a two-thirds majority is needed for voting.