The 145th plenary session commenced today, experiencing a delay of over two hours due to technical issues in the Parliament.

During the session, Members of Parliament (MPs) rejected the inclusion of amendments to the Law on Travel Documents for Macedonian Citizens on the agenda. These amendments, proposed by VMRO-DPMNE, aimed to extend the validity of travel documents, specifically those with the inscription “Republic of Macedonia,” until the specified expiration date. Nikola Micevski, the coordinator of VMRO-DPMNE’s parliamentary group, asserted that the legal amendment was necessary to address a perceived violation of the constitutionally guaranteed right to free movement, as established in Article 27, paragraph 2 of the Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia.

Out of a total of 100 MPs, 46 voted “for” the proposal, while 54 voted “against” extending the validity of passports with the old name until December 31, 2024.