North Macedonia’s largest ethnic Albanian party has offered to recall its ministers from the government to meet the opposition’s demands for talks on joining the European Union (EU), writes Reuters.
The Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) has indicated that the resignation of its ministers will take place only if the main opposition nationalist party VMRO-DPMNE votes in favor of changes to the constitution that would recognize the Bulgarian minority. This is what Bulgaria is demanding before agreeing to Macedonia’s EU admission.
Last year, North Macedonia’s parliament approved a French-led agreement aimed at resolving differences with Bulgaria.
Bulgaria has used its veto power to prevent Macedonia from starting EU accession talks.
Amendments to the Constitution require at least two-thirds of the vote. In June, VMRO-DPMNE said it would support changes if DUI leaves the government, a new coalition is formed including parties currently in opposition, and new elections are called.
DUI’s letter addressed to Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski said that government ministers and officials from the Democratic Union for Integration are aware of citizens’ expectations and aim to become part of the European family and are resigning from their positions. The letter states that the resignation will take place once the constitutional amendments are made.
VMRO-DPMNE has informed that DUI should leave the government as soon as possible and new elections should be held. The Nationalist Party did not mention the requirement to first vote on changes to the constitution.
North Macedonia has been an EU candidate for 17 years, but the negotiations were blocked first by Greece, and then by Bulgaria.
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