Austria urges North Macedonia to resolve dispute on constitutional amendment for European Union accession

Austria's president on [29 March] urged rival political parties in North Macedonia to end a dispute over a proposed amendment to the constitution, as European Union leaders continue to encourage the small Balkan country to clear hurdles toward membership in the bloc. [...] North Macedonia has promised neighboring Bulgaria, an EU member since 2007, to add a reference in its constitution to the existence of an ethnic Bulgarian minority. In exchange, Bulgaria would lift objections to starting EU membership talks for North Macedonia. The dispute has also hindered the accession process for fellow EU hopeful Albania. North Macedonia’s center-left government has so far been unable to win support needed from the conservative main opposition party for parliamentary approval of the amendment. [...] The constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds majority in the 120-seat parliament, or 80 votes. But the governing coalition led by the center-left Social Democrats is backed by only 64 lawmakers. President Pendarovski told reporters the ministry of justice will soon form a committee of experts to draw up the final draft of the proposed constitutional amendment.
Read the full article here: My Plainview