VMRO-DPMNE yields
After almost two months of abstinence from the parliamentary benches, with the exception of two incidental appearances, VMRO-DPMNE returns and will participate in the work of the Parliament. The reason for this was the Law on Languages, which, according to the main opposition party in the country, is unconstitutional and is at the expense of the citizens of Macedonia, and the proposers are needlessly stubborn.
“The government’s decision not to withdraw the law and not open a constructive debate about it can cause long-term consequences for the state and violate the cohesion among citizens. VMRO-DPMNE is on the side of the citizens of the Republic of Macedonia and will therefore do everything to defend the state and national interests. Therefore, VMRO-DPMNE and the caucus will do everything in our power to prevent such a destructive policy. The parliamentary group will return to parliamentary benches and with amendments will try to prevent the adoption of the unconstitutional law. Through our presence in parliament, we will try to convince MPs from the parliamentary majority of the consequences of adopting this law, which not only goes beyond the frames of the Constitution and the Ohrid Agreement, but places them in a subordinate position to the Turks, Roma, Serbs , Bosniaks and members of all other ethnic communities, “said the new vice-president Mitko Jancev.
The party believes that the Law has numerous flaws and therefore, as they say, it is incomprehensible that the SDSM’s unconstructive behavior and the refusal of proposals to form working groups made up of representatives of all parliamentary groups in the Parliament, involving expert and expert public from the legal faculties in the country, representative from the Cabinet of the President of the Republic and from MANU.
“We are sure that this debate will contribute to raising the confidence and democratic atmosphere that will result in the removal of the unconstitutional elements of this law on languages. Quite unnecessarily bilingualism is carried out on the entire territory of Macedonia. It only brings a burden on the budget, and it is not in favor of the citizens. This law completely degrades the use of the Macedonian language. That is why VMRO-DPMNE decided to participate in the parliamentary debate and propose substantive amendments to improve the law and remove the harmful and unconstitutional parts. The authorities must not be able to carry out the re-run”, they emphasize in VMRO-DPMNE.
The boycott of the parliamentary decision of VMRO-DPMNE began after the arrests of their colleagues and supporters for the events of April 27. With the arrival of Hristijan Mickoski as new president, the day-to-day protests on the streets of Skopje stopped. Senior party sources briefed that they were constantly under pressure from international representatives to return to the Parliament. Government spokesman Mile Bosnjakovski urged MPs of VMRO-DPMNE to take part in the assembly session on the Law on Languages, to be in the institution where they can and should participate in an amnesty hearing. The assembly is where they should submit all their proposals, stated the government. Bosnjakovski reiterated that the Government’s position is that the Law is in accordance with the Constitution, it has been voted in a democratic atmosphere and is supported by the majority of lawmakers. However, after the adoption, it will be sent to the Venice Commission. He reiterated that no further employment was envisaged for this law, but that existing employees in the administration will be used.
After the announced boycott, opposition MPs appeared twice in the Assembly: the first time to listen to Ivanov’s annual address, and the second time for NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
Goran Adamovski