North Macedonia President Afrim Gashi to Hold First Coordination Meeting with Party Representatives

North Macedonia's President Afrim Gashi will hold his first official coordination meeting with party representatives at the Assembly on June 3, 2024. This meeting aims to establish committees necessary for implementing planned changes in the Government.

The meeting is a significant step in the formation of a new government. VMRO-DPMNE, a major political party, seeks to thoroughly reorganize the Government by abolishing, merging, and creating new ministries. The party hopes to adopt the necessary legal changes soon, enabling its leader Hristijan Mickoski to propose the new Government's lineup.

President Gashi has emphasized the importance of rapid integration into the European Union, which requires dialogue with all parties, both inside and outside the country, particularly with neighboring countries. In an interview with Radio Free Europe, Gashi stated that the parties forming the new government will secure the necessary two-thirds majority to pass constitutional changes, including the inclusion of the Bulgarian minority in the preamble.

Gashi also committed to resolving the status of the Albanian language in the Constitution, which is defined that of 20% of the population. He reacted to the E Majta party's accusations of 'kosovarising' the Assembly, calling it a 'theatrical performance' to raise tensions and attract attention.

Why this matters: This meeting has significant implications for North Macedonia's government formation and its aspirations for European Union integration. The outcome of this meeting could shape the country's political future and influence its relationships with neighboring countries and the EU.

Regarding the controversy surrounding his oath-taking in both Albanian and Macedonian languages, Gashi downplayed the issue, saying it was a technical aspect and that he respected the democratic right of every deputy and citizen to react if they felt a right had been violated.

Gashi announced that he will schedule the first plenary session in coordination with all political parties, with the first item on the agenda being the organization of the state and ministerial departments. He also expressed his desire to introduce legal changes to prevent early elections for mayors in municipalities where mayors will become ministers or deputies.

The coordination meeting is expected to set the stage for the review and passage of laws related to changes in ministries, a vital step in the government formation process. The government coalition talks between VMRO-DPMNE, the Worth It coalition, and the ZNAM Movement are ongoing, but there is still no concrete information regarding the government composition.

President Gordana Siljanovska Davkova is expected to hand over a mandate for the formation of a new government next week, with a deadline of June 7, 2024.

Key Takeaways

• North Macedonia's President Afrim Gashi to hold coordination meeting with party reps on June 3, 2024.
• Meeting aims to establish committees for implementing planned government changes.
• VMRO-DPMNE seeks to reorganize government by abolishing, merging, and creating new ministries.
• President Gashi prioritizes rapid EU integration and resolving Albanian language status in Constitution.
• Coordination meeting sets stage for government formation and EU integration efforts.