Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi refused the offer from VMRO-DPMNE President Hristijan Mickoski that the opposition provides the quorum necessary to adopt the most critically needed pieces of legislation, such as the proposed stimulus package.The ruling SDSM – DUI – BESA majority doesn’t have the 61 votes it needs to begin a session by itself, but insists to cram bills from its political agenda on the next session, and VMRO says it will not provide the votes for bills which are not in the public interest.

I called for a session to be held on March 23 and I will not accept ultimatums. It is up to the full Parliament to determine the agenda for the next sessions, Xhaferi said, insisting that VMRO provides the quorum and that the majority will be able to put whatever bill it wants before the Parliament.

Mickoski offered the necessary votes, if the majority agrees to debate only the urgently needed stimulus bill and the extension of the state of crisis on the border, which is needed to have the army engaged in helping curb migrant crossings and with the movement of coronavirus patients.