Once the European Union regulation on the confidentiality of personal data enters into force, we should respect it, and since we remain on the path of the EU, there is no other alternative, we should respect the European regulations. I would go on to make decisions, especially with the option to choose to include ethnicity in IDs, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said on Monday, answering a reporter’s question about the adoption of the bill on IDs that would include ethnicity.

He reminded that they discussed this issue with the Besa party in 2019 when the constitutional changes were made and that a promise was made.

We have really friendly, open and reasonable and rational talks with Besa and all other coalition partners. We promised in 2019 the beginning of the year when we completed the constitutional changes. That was important for the political party Besa, then it was in opposition and we confirmed it even with a government statement and to this day we confirm it. Of course, they also mentioned the flexibility on the option of choosing to include ethnicity, said Zaev.

He stressed that a new moment for all parties is that European regulation enters into force in August, where the confidentiality of data is guaranteed, ie it is forbidden to include ethnic, political, religious affiliation and many other determinations in the documents for personal identification.

But for me this discourse is also important, the debate we have, on readiness. It is important to me that the largest Macedonian or multiethnic party SDSM gave support. It is important to me that the second largest party VMRO-DPMNE also gave support. The smaller parties, the smaller ethnic communities also give support, and that is something that is a qualitative plus, especially in the part of the option, so that citizens have the option to choose, said Zaev.

He reiterated that the most important thing is to respect the European regulations, ie to follow Europe’s example.