The VMRO-DPMNE Central Committee voted today to adopt changes to the party statute and to empower leader Hristijan Mickoski to conduct negotiations with other parties for the creation of a ruling coalition.

Pance Toskovski from the party’s statutory committee, said that the changed statute will limit the term of the party leader to two terms, with an additional third term if the candidate is approved with a two thirds majority at a party congress. The statute also abolishes all honorary positions in the party, meaning that former leader Nikola Gruevski is no longer an honorary party leader.

VMRO-DPMNE is the first party in the Balkans that limits the term of its top officials, including the leader of the party. This is a move toward greater democracy within the party and it follows modern conservative thinking in parties such as the CDU, the Austrian conservatives and other parties from our European organization, Toskovski said.

The statute also provides that a half of the delegates can call for a party congress, unlike before where it required a two thirds majority, and a quota for women officials in all party institutions.

Toskovski said that the Central Committee voted unanimously in approving the proposal that Mickoski opens negotiations with other parties to form the next Government. Previously, Mickoski told the committee members that he will work to form a Government, but not at any price and without sacrificing the principles of the party.

Mickoski tells party leaders that he will work toward a coalition, but not at any price