The parliamentary rostrum was blocked by Alliance for Albanians MP Ilire Dauti, who was later joined by party leader Ziadin Sela. Dauti had earlier called for the parliamentary questions session to be suspended because, according to her, the Government had not sent her a written response regarding the Law on Fair and Adequate Representation.

“On behalf of all MPs, I call for this session to be suspended because there is no point in continuing with the other questions. I will not leave this rostrum today until I receive an answer to the question I submitted last time, which the prime minister was supposed to answer. Either come here and provide an answer, or this session will not continue,” Ilire Dauti said.

To calm the situation, Parliament Speaker Afrim Gashi initially called a half-hour recess. As tensions did not ease, he later announced another one-hour break.

At today’s meeting with journalists, before the developments in the session, Gashi had spoken about the Law on Fair Representation. He acknowledged that the legal text may have shortcomings but stressed that it is better to have a law than none at all. The Parliament Speaker said he would move the law forward when he deemed the time was right.

“I will exercise my right to assess and decide when the most appropriate time is for this law to be put to a vote. I want citizens and the opposition to know that we do not plan to adopt it in secret. The session will be convened, all MPs will be invited, and the plenary session will make the decision. My duty is to decide when the best time is for a decision to be made, after which we will all respect Parliament’s decision,” Parliament Speaker Afrim Gashi said.

The Albanian opposition had earlier accused Gashi of holding the Law on Fair and Adequate Representation hostage, with the aim of putting it to a vote at a time when opposition MPs were not present in the session. The opposition has objections to the law and opposes it.

The post Clash in Parliament Over Representation Law, Dauti and Sela Occupy the Rostrum appeared first on Albeu.com.

Parliament Speaker Afrim Gashi told reporters today that the Law on Fair and Adequate Representation is legislation that has been awaited for 22 years. According to him, although the text may not be perfect, it is far better for such a law to exist than to be entirely absent.

Gashi rejected claims that an attempt was being made to push the law through covertly, stressing that it had been drafted over two years with the involvement of experts. He explained that the document had been processed through the proper procedure and had also undergone public debate.

According to the Parliament Speaker, his aim is to create room for discussions among parliamentary groups so that such an important law, which has been awaited for 22 years, can be adopted.

He said all political mechanisms should be used to establish that this law is necessary at this time. Gashi acknowledged that the legislation may contain shortcomings but stressed that, for now, these are merely being presumed. In conclusion, he reiterated his position that the country should have a law on fair and adequate representation, as it is far better to have a legal framework than none at all.

The post Gashi: The Law on Fair Representation May Have Flaws, but We Are Not Trying to Push It Through in Secret appeared first on Albeu.com.

With 64 votes in favor and none against or abstaining, North Macedonia’s Parliament today elected Meri Dika-Georgievska as a Constitutional Court judge.

Following the vote, Dika-Georgievska took the solemn oath. She graduated in law from the Faculty of Law at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje.

During her professional career, she served as a judge at the Basic Court in Skopje, worked as a lawyer and was a member of the Court of Appeals.

Dika-Georgievska also served as a member of the Judicial Council from 2012 to 2018.

The post Meri Dika-Georgievska Elected Constitutional Court Judge by North Macedonia’s Parliament appeared first on Albeu.com.

MPs in the Parliament of the Republic of North Macedonia approved the amended proposal for the revision of the 2026 budget this afternoon. The decision received 64 votes in favor, with no votes against and no abstentions, Telegrafi Macedonia reports.

A parliamentary debate was held before the vote. Representatives of the governing majority argued that the budget amendments are intended to preserve economic stability, promote development and ensure responsible management of public finances.

The opposition, meanwhile, claimed that the proposal does not support productive development and is neither development-oriented nor socially focused. According to opposition MPs, citizens expect results, not slogans.

While presenting the amended proposal at the parliamentary session, Finance Minister Gordana Dimitrieska-Koçoska said the Government and the relevant ministry have an obligation to intervene promptly by adjusting budget projections to reflect actual economic developments.

Dimitrieska-Koçoska explained that the macroeconomic and fiscal results from the first half of the year, influenced by external developments, made it necessary to revise the initial projections. According to her, the aim is to secure additional funds to meet the highest-priority obligations arising from signed collective agreements, as well as to increase funding for agriculture, social protection, municipalities and capital expenditure. The minister stressed that the amendments align macroeconomic assumptions with fiscal projections, primarily on the expenditure side of the budget.

The finance minister added that the budget revision is a response to changing economic conditions and serves as a mechanism for aligning public finances with the specific needs of the economy, institutions and citizens./Telegrafi/

The post North Macedonia’s Parliament Approves Budget Revision appeared first on Albeu.com.

The legislature today approved the agenda that includes four bills from the field of education and scientific research, during the 116th parliamentary session.

Immediately after this vote, the Speaker of Parliament, Afrim Gashi, adjourned the proceedings and announced that the continuation of the session will be announced later.

The session’s agenda includes the Draft Law on amendments and supplements to the Law on Student Standards, which is being processed under a shortened procedure, as well as three other draft laws being considered in first reading: the one on Quality Assurance in Higher Education and Science, on Research-Scientific Activity, and the draft law on Higher Education.

MP Daniela Hristova, one of the initiators of the amendments to the Law on Student Standards, explained the necessity of passing it through an accelerated procedure, emphasizing that the proposed amendments improve housing and food conditions for students in state dormitory facilities.

“A clear age limit is being set for applying to dormitories and the mechanism for implementing educational sanctions for students who violate the dormitory’s internal rules is being finalized,” Hristova declared.

She stressed that these improvements aim to strengthen security in dormitories and ensure a fairer approach for all students, both in the admission phase and during disciplinary procedures. Hristova guaranteed that the implementation of this draft law will have no financial implications for the state budget.

Meanwhile, the Parliament did not approve the request of MP Sashko Janchev to include on the agenda a Draft Law amending the Wine Law.

The post Session adjourned, consideration of education law package postponed appeared first on Albeu.com.

The three items concerning the Law on Higher Education were removed from the agenda of the Parliament of North Macedonia today after the parliamentary majority and the opposition failed to reach an agreement.

Representatives of the Albanian opposition said that notice of the session had been sent after the scheduled time for the meeting had already passed.

MPs Rina Ajdari, Halil Snopçe and Elmi Aziri protested this violation, with Aziri describing the move as a “clandestine tendency.”

The government and the opposition have failed to find a solution regarding the law.

On April 22, the Government of North Macedonia approved the final version of a package of three laws on higher education. It includes the Law on Higher Education, the Law on Quality in Higher Education and the Law on Scientific Research. The legislation was submitted to Parliament in early July.

The higher education bill, drafted to replace the current legislation, was presented by Janevska on February 6 of this year. The changes announced so far have prompted opposition from both the academic community and opposition parties, some of which have called for the new law to be withdrawn. Criticism of the proposed legislation has come particularly from the Social Democratic Union, which believes it contains elements that could harm the country’s higher education system.

The post Higher Education Bill Removed from North Macedonia Parliament’s Agenda appeared first on Albeu.com.

“Under the rules of procedure, the Speaker of Parliament decides when favourable conditions exist. I am the Speaker of Parliament, and I will decide when I believe it is best for the law to be voted on,” said Afrim Gashi, Speaker of Parliament.

Asked when exactly he would put the law to a vote, Gashi replied: “It will be within the period ahead,” said Afrim Gashi, Speaker of Parliament.

Regarding opposition claims of obstruction related to the scheduling and cancellation of the Education Committee session, where three draft laws on higher education were to be considered, Gashi denied the accusations. He stressed that responsibility for the matter lies with the committee chair.

“Sometimes I regret that such situations are being misused. The Speaker of Parliament does not convene committee meetings; committee chairs do. So the address is wrong, but if they want to accuse and insult me every day, it is not a problem, they are welcome to do so,” said Afrim Gashi, Speaker of Parliament.

Gashi also responded to opposition accusations that he does not want to hand over security camera footage which, according to them, recorded Stoillkoviq’s clash with MPs. The parliamentary speaker said the law does not allow the release of certain such recordings.

“It is not true, it is absolutely not true. Every recording that is requested is provided, except for those recordings prohibited by law. If someone thinks the law should be broken in order to serve the appetites of portals for exhibitionist news, I am not the right person for that,” said Afrim Gashi, Speaker of Parliament.

The opposition considers Gashi responsible for the latest developments in Parliament. SDSM has requested the security camera footage, while the Albanian opposition yesterday accused the parliamentary speaker of seeking to pass laws in committee without its presence. Two days ago, the Albanian opposition remained in Parliament, demanding that the item concerning the draft law on fair and adequate representation be returned to the agenda, arguing that the government does not have the necessary Badinter majority. /Alsat.mk

The post Gashi: Fair Representation Law Will Be Put to a Vote When Conditions Are Right appeared first on Albeu.com.

VMRO-DPMNE MP Bojan Stojanoski stated that the opposition is not aiming for a new Electoral Code, but a complete blockade. He noted that, after more than four months of intensive negotiations, the opposition’s demand to restart expert debates clearly shows that there is a tacit agreement among opposition parties to reject the draft laws. “We have negotiated for a long period, over four months, and at the moment when the law was supposed to be submitted, they backed down. This action naturally leads to the conclusion that the opposition simply has no will to approve this law and fulfill the last criterion imposed on us by the reform agenda,” said Stojanoski.

On the other hand, SDSM returned the accusation by linking VMRO-DPMNE’s insistence on uncontrolled diaspora voting to fear of personal accountability. According to SDSM, these so-called “great patriots,” equipped with Bulgarian citizenship, European documents, and signatures in Bulgaria, are worried about their individual fate and not the future of North Macedonia. “They want to manipulate the future electoral process, in order to delay the inevitable confrontation with justice. Citizens cannot be fooled. The era of lies, manipulation, and election theft is over,” emphasized SDSM.

Meanwhile, the “E Majta” (The Left) party sharply attacked the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) after the latter decided not to participate in the coordination meeting that “The Left” had announced it would call among opposition forces to unify positions on the electoral reform. According to this party, SDSM’s stance is a pure refusal for the sake of narrow party interests. “It is a significant indicator that the party which for years propagated the idea of a single electoral district, today refuses even to sit at the discussion table on this topic. If they truly still stand behind this concept, what prevents them from dialoguing? If they have changed their mind, then let them show integrity and openly admit it before their membership,” declared “The Left”.

As for the Albanian political entities, DUI MP Arbana Pasholli clarified that they have not received any official invitation for such a meeting, but underlined that the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) is always open to institutional dialogue. The common stance of the Albanian parties remains clear: the voting right for the diaspora must be guaranteed. This entire debate takes place at a critical moment, as the deadline for approving the amendments to the Electoral Code, foreseen as a condition in the reform agenda, expires on Wednesday.

The post Electoral reform in deadlock, final deadline is Wednesday appeared first on Albeu.com.

In his remarks, Afrim Gashi pointed out that the Code of Ethics is, above all, a moral agreement that MPs enter into among themselves and with the citizens they represent.

“Since I believe we do not want this document to end up in Parliament’s archives after the vote, we have gathered here to treat it as a shared commitment: that the public interest will always remain above personal interest; that political debate will be conducted on the basis of argument and not insult; that political differences will not turn into personal hostility; and that the dignity of Parliament will be protected every day, with responsibility and dedication,” Gashi stressed.

He thanked the MPs and parliamentary groups, the international partners and the parliamentary service, which, according to him, through its professional engagement and dedication, made an important contribution at every stage of the Code’s preparation.

Ambassador Wahl said in his speech that “the Code of Ethics not only provides MPs with a practical tool for dealing with real-life ethical issues, but also represents a concrete step toward more transparent, more accountable and more trustworthy parliamentary work in the country.

For his part, Robert Scott Heaslet said the Swiss Parliamentary Support Programme has stood by Parliament with uninterrupted support throughout the complex process of drafting and finalizing these integrity rules since 2019. “This is one of many areas in which Switzerland has stood alongside Parliament as a stable and reliable partner in democratic reforms,” Heaslet said.

Ajla Van Heel Merdanović highlighted the importance of parliamentary integrity, describing it as an instrument for strengthening citizens’ trust in the ethics of parliamentary decision-making.

“Our shared goal is to support the process of advancing parliamentary ethics. We are pleased that today we see the result of months of cross-party cooperation. The inclusion of a gender perspective in this Code is also to be welcomed,” Merdanović stressed.

Mile Lefkov said in his remarks that this Code of Ethics is an important document for restoring trust in Parliament.

He also stressed that this document shows that Parliament knows how to accept international expertise. According to him, the distinctive feature of this Code lies in the inclusion of concrete mechanisms for its implementation: the creation of a parity-based working group that will oversee the implementation of the Code of Ethics, the appointment of an adviser for confidential counseling of MPs, as well as the adoption of a guide, in the drafting of which international expertise will once again be used.

The post Code of Ethical Conduct for MPs Presented in North Macedonia’s Parliament appeared first on Albeu.com.

Deputy Speaker of Parliament Antonijo Miloshoski assigned the Committee on Political System and Inter-Community Relations as the main working body, while the Legislative and Legal Committee will also convene to review the draft law.

The initiative was submitted to Parliament by MPs Antonijo Miloshoski, Zeqirija Tairi, Daniel Stojçevski, Blerim Bexheti and Ivanka Vasilevska. Among the solutions envisaged in the amendments are electronic voting for the diaspora, as well as changes in the segment of state financing for parties.

Explaining why the Electoral Code should be adopted under a fast-track procedure, the proposer stressed that its content had been discussed for four months within the Ministry of Justice. Representatives of political parties took part in these talks, with the exception of SDSM, which was initially involved and later withdrew.

Miloshoski stated that during these discussions, agreement was reached on 28 ODIHR recommendations, which were accepted by consensus. According to him, in the working group at the Ministry of Justice there was no outvoting on any issue, and decision-making was always carried out by mutual agreement. He added that these topics could also be discussed in parliamentary sessions and committees.

Regarding the electoral model, Miloshoski said that the majority of political parties had expressed support for a single electoral district, while two parties supported the model with eight and three districts. Since no consensus was reached on this, the current solution of six electoral districts remains in force.

On diaspora voting, Miloshoski clarified that agreement had been reached for it to be made possible according to the practice of France and Estonia, through secure and protected electronic voting.

He also stressed that major assistance in this process came from representatives of the State Election Commission, the State Audit Office, the Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services, and the Anti-Corruption Commission. According to him, these institutions presented their proposals, most of which were accepted, on how to amend the Electoral Code in the service of developing democratic, fair, transparent and efficient elections.

Regarding the model for the use of funds for election advertising, Miloshoski said that unanimous consensus had been reached on this issue.

He assessed that in this process there was not a single case in which one party outvoted another, or in which certain representatives of political parties ignored the proposals of their colleagues. According to Miloshoski, the consensus reached by most of the parties that participated in the Working Group at the Ministry of Justice should be considered an important achievement and progress in the norms of the Electoral Code.

The post Parliament gives the green light to Electoral Code changes under a fast-track procedure appeared first on Albeu.com.