The main opposition party VMRO-DPMNE, as well as parties like Alternative, Levica, SPM and DS, announced that they will not nominate members to the committee that will draft amendments for the constitutional change that Bulgaria wants.

This means that the parties from the ruling majority will be debating between themselves. The committee is being put together by the Justice Ministry, and so far only institutions like the Government, the Preident’s office and some of the ruling parties said that they will participate. Bulgaria, which wants the amendments to include the Bulgarian nation in the Constitution, asked for a seat on the committee, but this was strongly rejected by the Government and President Pendarovski.

No amendments can be adopted without the approval from VMRO-DPMNE. VMRO leader Hristijan Mickoski insists that this Parliament does not have legitimacy on this issue and that elections are needed before this issue is raised.

The first step of the process determines whether there is two-thirds majority in Parliament and only then the drafting of amendments begins. So it’s pointless to politicize the issue now. VMRO-DPMNE will not participate in the work of this committee, Mickoski said.