site.btaVLEN Coalition Extends Deadline for Including Bulgarians in North Macedonia Constitution

The ethnic Albanian coalition VLEN, a member of the VMRO-DPMNE government in North Macedonia, has extended the 6-month deadline to add Bulgarians to the North Macedonia Constitution, Skopje media said on Friday. The coalition initially set a 6-month deadline as a prerequisite for joining the government, but that deadline was pushed aside after the elections, even though the constitutional changes and ongoing negotiations with the EU were pre-election priorities. VLEN attributed this decision to political instability in Bulgaria, rather than pressure from government partner VMRO-DPMNE.

VLEN spokesperson Fari Hiseni spoke at a press conference on Friday and said that political instability in Bulgaria is the reason they have not requested the inclusion of Bulgarians in the Constitution of North Macedonia to follow the promised deadline. Hiseni explained plans for the constitutional changes, with the 6-month deadline getting close.

"We are in constant contact and coordination with international stakeholders. These are topics from a broader circle, which means there is an opportunity because we have an ad hoc situation in neighbouring Bulgaria. If there were a functioning government in Bulgaria, I believe negotiations for an agreement between North Macedonia and Bulgaria would have already started," Hiseni said, quoted by the 360 Degrees website.

"Given the situation in the Republic of Bulgaria, there is a possibility, after consultation with international stakeholders, to extend the deadline for implementing constitutional changes", Hiseni said.

The opposition party Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) urged VMRO-DPMNE to fulfil its promises regarding constitutional changes and the inclusion of Bulgarians in the North Macedonia’s Constitution.