The seven candidates for president of the Republic of North Macedonia still gathered in one studio for the only debate that the state MRT managed to organize , BTA reported.
On the penultimate day of the presidential election campaign, Stevo Pendarovski (SDSM), Gordana Silyavovska (VMRO-DPMNE), Stevcho Yakimovski (GROM), Buyar Osmani (DSI), Biljana Vankovska (Left), Arban Taravari (coalition of the Albanian opposition parties) and Maxim Dimitrievski (ZNAM) debated under strict regulations about their views on the main functions of the head of state.
The current president of the country and a candidate for a second presidential term indicated that with the opening of the constitution, in order to fulfill the condition for the inclusion of Bulgarians in the basic law, in order for North Macedonia to start real negotiations with the EU, the suspensory veto must also be changed. with which the president of the country has, in an absolute veto, as well as to replace the text for the official language in the country "the language spoken by 20 percent of the population" with the "Albanian language", which the Albanian parties also insist on. As for the changes in the constitution and the inclusion of the Bulgarians in it, Pendarovski pointed out that from a foreign policy point of view it seems that "a European country sets conditions", but from an internal political point of view this means adding "a little Bulgarian majority", along with several other ethnic communities.
"The reality of (North) Macedonia is as we know it - multi-ethnic. And we are looking for specific models in which we can coexist, for the good of the state, instead of fighting with each other. The Bulgarian idea is clear - to fully accept the Bulgarian narrative, and we refused it. All that remains is for these 3,500 Bulgarians, a small Bulgarian minority living here, to be included in the constitution along with five other parts of nations, Pendarovski pointed out.
According to VMRO-DPMNE presidential candidate Gordna Silyanovska, "fundamental constitutional reforms” are needed, which should be based on extensive expert analysis.
Presidential candidate Stevche Yakimovski from GROM stated that he is against the constitutional changes, but is in favor of increasing the powers of the president of the state.
"As much as the EU needs us, the EU needs us as much. For these reasons, we too must set conditions instead of being servile. We are not even at the level of (Prime Minister of Kosovo) Albin Kurti, who accepts what works for him and rejects what he does not need. We are predictable in our decisions”, Yakimovski pointed out on the occasion of the changes in the constitution.
For Buyar Osmani, nominated by the European Front, a coalition of parties led by DSI, the country's president should be elected in parliament.
"The current pattern is a pattern of further polarization. I think that (the election of the president by the parliament) in an inclusive process will lead to depolarization, but also to the inclusion of everyone in decision-making. This means promoting democracy in the spirit of the Ohrid Framework Agreement”, said Osmani.
He repeated his thesis that North Macedonia should use the moment of the "open window for EU enlargement" and politicians must reach a consensus regarding the implementation of the conditions in the country's negotiating framework.
For Bilyana Vankovska "radical changes are needed” in the constitution, the EU is not the same, and NATO is in a "proxy war in Ukraine”. It is for terminating the contract with Bulgaria, "which is the easiest” and the Treaty of Prespa.
According to Arben Taravari, the country should seek a guarantee from the EU that changes to the constitution are the last condition because "obviously the negotiating framework cannot be changed”, and regarding the other changes to the constitution he said that "demography should to be accepted as it is”.
"Find a place where the definition of language use is in percentages and numbers. 50 years ago, the official languages were Macedonian, Albanian and Turkish. Now we are debating whether in the constitution we will use the wording "20 percent” or not. Why not discuss a new constitution, others, new powers of the president and other solutions to the problems in the country”, said Taravari.
According to Maksim Dimitrievski, changes in the constitution are not necessary to "prevent the disintegration of the unity of the state and allow a hidden transformation of North Macedonia from a simple to a complex system”.
"Brussels said that changing the negotiating framework is something difficult, but not impossible, and (the negotiating framework of) Sabria is proof of that,” Dimitrievski said.
Monday is the last day of the pre-election campaign for the presidential elections in North Macedonia, however, the campaign for parliamentary elections in the country continues on Tuesday, when for the presidential elections it is a day of reflection. The first round of the elections for the head of state will take place on Wednesday, April 24.