VMRO-DPMNE has raised a challenge before the Constitutional Court regarding the amendments made to the Law on Road Documents and the Law on Road Traffic Safety. These amendments state that passports, driver’s licenses, and driver’s books bearing the old constitutional name “Republic of Macedonia” remain valid until February 12, 2024. The party has urged the Court to promptly institute a temporary measure to halt the implementation of these legal changes until a final decision is reached on the petition.

On Friday, Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski, along with VMRO-DPMNE, assured citizens that identity cards carrying the name “Republic of Macedonia,” which remain valid after February 12, will continue to be so even after the specified date. There is no requirement for individuals to rush to the Ministry of the Interior’s issuing points solely for the purpose of updating their identity cards.

Contrastingly, the Democratic Union has called on the Government to initiate a debate on the significance of personal documents during the upcoming session. They advocate for making informed decisions on extending the deadline, compelling ministries to enforce these decisions, and keeping citizens informed.

In response to inquiries from “Sloboden Pechat,” the Government has not provided information on whether there is an agenda item related to this matter in the upcoming session. Prime Minister Kovacevski previously indicated that the session would address President Stevo Pendarovski’s proposal to extend the deadline for the validity of personal documents until September or October. The rationale behind this extension is to spare citizens from undergoing the process of obtaining new documents in challenging conditions marked by prolonged waiting times and extensive traffic congestion.