The VMRO-DPMNE party announced it will block the proposed law on citizenship, which would make it exceptionally easy for foreigners to claim citizenship. The law was proposed by ethnic Albanian parties, and is presumably meant to issue even more citizenships to Albanians from Kosovo who covet Macedonian passports for the ease of travel. The ruling SDSM party helped advance the law, apparently hoping to maintain its coalition with the Albanian bloc.

We note that even some in the SDSM led coalition oppose the law. It would allow anyone to claim Macedonian citizenship using the statements of just three witnesses that he or she lives in Macedonia for a period of time. This is not a good law, the public knows that it needs to be amended greatly and we will submit many amendments to it. Otherwise, it will lead to phantom citizens, phantom parties, phantom voters, said Vlado Misajlovski from VMRO-DPMNE.

Submitting a large number of amendments is one of the ways the opposition parties can slow down or block the adoption of legislation.