Xhaferi rejects VMRO's call for holding referendum

VMRO DPMNE, led by Hristian Mickovski, had on September 9th handed over the initiative for referendum with the argument that the “Agreement with Bulgaria is anti-national and anti-state, as it endangers the Macedonian identity and language”.

Through a communiqué, Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi said that <x0-initiative referendum framework is not in line with the Constitution”, in which, according to the head of the Parliament, the “international agreements that have been ratified are part of the internal judicial order and cannot be changed by law”.

The agreement with Bulgaria was proposed by France and envisions that during the process of talks with the European Union, Northern Macedonia will resolve open issues regarding historical aspects, while those for language and identity are said to be no part of the talks.

Under the agreement, North Macedonia, before the formal start of negotiations on membership in the bloc, must change the Constitution to include the Bulgarian minority in its premiere.

The change of the Macedonian Constitution is made by two-thirds of the vote, which the parliamentary majority does not have, as the V MRO DPMNE has said its MPs will vote against it.

Northern Macedonia ratified the Agreement with Bulgaria on 16 July, while on 19 July, membership talks with the European Union were launched.

Northern Macedonia has won candidate state status in 2005, but talks with the EU have not been able to begin initially due to the dispute with Greece over the name issue and recently with Bulgaria, which in 2020 vetoed its decision on resolving language, identity and historical issues. /rel