The issue of constitutional changes must be resolved, but not at the expense of the cultural and linguistic identity of Macedonians. We will discuss the governance program of VMRO-DPMNE after the elections in Bulgaria and the European Union.
This was stated by the speaker of the Macedonian parliament Afrim Gashi, BGNES reports.
"After the French proposal was mentioned, there were protests, especially among Macedonians as an ethnic community in the country. Some of the votes that went to VMRO-DPMNE were precisely because of the reserved position on constitutional changes," Gashi said in an interview with Telma.
He pointed out that the Albanian coalition VLEN and VMRO-DPMNE, which will form the new government in North Macedonia, are awaiting elections at home and in the European Union.
"Now we are in another phase. Fortunately, most of the citizens and political parties support the integration of the country into the EU and hope that this will happen as soon as possible. We need to discuss what VMRO-DPMNE has set out in its program. After the elections in Bulgaria, after the EP elections, because the French proposal came from Brussels. We need to have all the elements in the mosaic to be able to solve this pressing issue," Gashi said, adding:
"We need to resolve this issue as soon as possible, but not at the expense or destruction of the cultural and linguistic identity of the Macedonians and we cannot disrupt inter-ethnic relations. I am also talking to international actors about this."
The parliament speaker added that inter-ethnic relations should not be put at risk.
"We should work for greater cohesion of all communities, especially the first two in size - Macedonian and Albanian. If we understand our cultural and linguistic identity, this in itself will give energy to the process of faster integration of the country into the European Union," Gashi said.
Asked why he was sworn into parliament first in Albanian and then in Macedonian, he said, "This is a technical issue, and I would not like to interfere in daily politics with such minor things. The use of the Albanian language in parliament was regulated back in 2008-2009."
"That day was a celebration of democracy in North Macedonia, the assembly was constituted. This is everyday politics, and the parties use it for some cheap PR. I would not like to sink to that level and comment on such reactions. I have no problem with the Macedonian language, since my first years I have been learning and speaking it at the same time as Albanian. I have no dislike for Macedonians. The constituent assembly was prepared by the administration in the Assembly, who are professionals, and it was technical, it could have been in Macedonian first, the important thing is to read it in Macedonian," Afrim Gashi explained.
Asked if he advocates the so-called "community of Albanian municipalities in Macedonia", he replied that this is the position of his party "Alternative" and that the idea is cooperation in segments that affect the residents of these municipalities.
"There is no such connotation with a nationalistic sign of federalization as some wanted to present. We have never advocated federalization because this model is not compatible with this country and that is why I have not advocated the issue politically," the new speaker of the Macedonian National Assembly said. | BGNES
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