With a majority of 88 votes, without any opposition or abstention, the parliament of North Macedonia today approved the extension of the state of emergency for fuels and petroleum derivative products. The new deadline is set until October 20.

According to the executive’s announcement, this decision, which enters into force on July 21, will enable institutions to intervene immediately in the event of supply chain disruptions or sharp price fluctuations on global exchanges. The main objective is to maintain domestic market balances and protect consumers and the entire economy.

During the discussions preceding the session, representatives of the Albanian parliamentary groups requested that this matter be reviewed in a separate meeting. They raised concerns that the majority was aiming to include other legal acts in the agenda, especially those related to university education.

After consultations between political forces in the Parliament, a compromise was reached, as a result of which the draft laws on the higher education system were not included in the agenda of today’s session.

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“On Monday, he provoked a state of anarchy to hide his incompetence. The reality is that the Government has not recorded any results in any governance area and is now trying to build a justification for early elections. After declaring there would be none, he now needs an alibi at all costs,” Filipce emphasized.

According to him, faced with economic failure, rising prices, and the decline of living standards, Mickoski, instead of offering solutions, prefers to insult and threaten opposition lawmakers.

“Having no results and no way out, Mickoski resorts to insults and intimidation toward MPs in the chamber. He has called citizens the dregs of society, rodents, mediocrities, mollusks; he has chosen a host of derogatory epithets in the past, and now he has started verbally attacking lawmakers. In fact, these insults say more about his character than about anyone else. Is this a person to be called a university professor? Is this a prime minister, the head of the executive?” Filipce asked.

As for Mickoski’s apology, the SDSM leader described it as a staged act without any sense of real responsibility.

“He simply fabricated an illusion, offering an apology in an empty chamber after opposition MPs had withdrawn… so he staged a political show. A shameful, forced ‘apology’. However, this cannot erase his previous insults and behavior,” Filipce concluded.

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If an agreement on the Electoral Code is reached in Parliament, then SDSM and “The Left” will withdraw their amendments, which would unblock the process. The amendments and additions to the Electoral Code are the last items among the ten points in the grace period for our country within the framework of the reform processes.

VMRO-DPMNE expects SDSM and DUI to clarify their positions on this party’s proposal for the diaspora to vote by mail, while the entire procedure would be regulated by bylaw at a session of the State Election Commission (SEC) no later than September 30, 2028. As they state, they are ready to accept a single electoral district.

On the other hand, “The Left” has requested that state funding for election advertising for parties with parliamentary groups be 10 percent, and that decision-making in the SEC be done by consensus, a demand that VMRO-DPMNE considers unacceptable.

Within the amendments to the Electoral Code already in parliamentary procedure, for which SDSM and “The Left” have submitted around 13,500 amendments, the most debated issue has been the proposal for electronic voting by the diaspora. SDSM immediately rejected this proposal and stresses that it is not against diaspora voting, underlining that the diaspora still has the opportunity to vote, but opposes a voting method that, according to the party, does not guarantee security, transparency and protection of the electoral will.

For “The Left,” electronic voting by the diaspora was an acceptable solution if it were done in exchange for increasing the percentage for paid political advertisements during elections.

Participants in the working group on the Electoral Code have accepted, for the budget financing of parties in elections, the proposal of DUI and “The Left,” according to which the ratio of the number of MPs would serve as an objective criterion for the use of 97% of these funds, while 3% would be for parties that do not have MPs in Parliament. According to this formula, 42% would go to the two largest ruling parties, 42% to the two largest opposition parties, 8% to parties with parliamentary groups, 5% to parties without parliamentary groups, and 3% to extra-parliamentary parties and groups of voters.

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This new legal framework aims to create opportunities for faster, more efficient court proceedings with a higher standard of quality, while at the same time guaranteeing greater legal certainty and better protection of the rights of citizens and legal entities.

The adopted law provides for an increased role of the court in establishing the facts, the inclusion of modern digital tools in the work of the courts, as well as the simplification and acceleration of procedures, especially in cases involving lower-value disputes.

One of the most notable innovations of this law is the possibility for documents to be submitted electronically and for court hearings to be held through electronic means, which is expected to further reduce the costs and duration of proceedings.

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The changes also include traffic restrictions and clear rules on how electric scooters must be used, with the aim of reducing road accidents. The new law comes at a time when these vehicles have become increasingly present in urban traffic.

Harsher penalties are предусмотрены for violators, including speeding, operating the vehicle under the influence of alcohol, and carrying other persons on the scooter. In addition to fines, temporary confiscation of the vehicle for up to 30 days is also предусмотрено for the most serious violations.

Authorities underline that these changes are intended to increase road safety, as statistical data show a rise in the number of accidents involving scooters and similar vehicles, including cases with serious injuries and fatal consequences. The law is intended to reduce accidents and provide clearer regulation of the use of these vehicles.

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At its 109th session held today, the Parliament of North Macedonia voted through the new Law on Games of Chance and Entertainment Games, decided to extend the state of emergency in part of the country’s territory, and appointed Hristina Sofronijoska to the post of Deputy Secretary General of the Legislative Chamber.

The draft law on games of chance received the support of 60 MPs, while 20 voted against it.

According to Deputy Finance Minister Nikolçe Jankulovski, the new provisions stipulate that premises where games of chance are organized must be located at least 500 meters away from primary and secondary schools, with the distance to be calculated along the safest pedestrian route.

He also stressed that the legal changes impose strict restrictions on the advertising of casinos and betting shops. Illuminated advertisements will be banned, while only one sign bearing the organizer’s name will be allowed, with maximum dimensions of 100 by 30 centimeters and no promotional content.

The law also provides for the mandatory GPS connection of devices and casinos to the Public Revenue Office, with the aim of strengthening oversight, digitalizing the sector, and making it easier to identify operators working without a license. These measures are also in line with Moneyval recommendations on preventing money laundering and the financing of terrorism.

Jankulovski said that if shortcomings are identified during implementation, the Finance Ministry will come forward with further proposals for additional amendments.

At the same session, MPs also established the need to adopt under a shortened procedure amendments to the Law on the Testing and Marking of Firearms and Ammunition, as well as to the Law on Public Enterprises and State-Owned Commercial Companies, within the framework of laws related to the Reform Agenda.

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However, these provisions will enter into force starting with the next presidential elections in 2029. The proposals have been signed by VMRO-DPMNE, VLEN, ZNAM, and DUI.

At a press conference held today, SDSM leader Venko Filipce announced that his party will block the adoption of the proposed Electoral Code. According to him, it contains serious solutions that are neither European nor democratic, while leaving room for abuse in the electoral process.

“This Parliament should not pass such a law. We will block it because citizens deserve to have a fair and democratic electoral process, not the controlled one that Hristijan Mickoski began to impose by following the example of his mentor, undoubtedly an idol, Nikola Gruevski. We will block this law in Parliament,” Filipce said.

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According to the Parliament’s Rules of Procedure, an interpellation is considered under a clearly defined procedure for submission and voting. The discussion takes place in a plenary session, lasts one working day, and must be concluded no later than 24:00 on the same day, when the vote is also held.

In the summary of the interpellation, The Left lawmaker Amar Mecinović assessed that “the Republic of North Macedonia is an unsafe country because of its Ministry of the Interior” and that “the apparatus for ensuring citizens’ safety is not functioning properly.”

“The truth is that the overall situation in Macedonia is not where it should be. Macedonia is an unsafe country because of its Ministry of the Interior, which is not making structural changes to ensure that security. Macedonia is a country in which normal activities can have greater consequences because the apparatus for ensuring citizens’ safety is not functioning properly, because it is seen as an apparatus for filling political posts,” he said.

For his part, Interior Minister Panče Toshkovski said in his response that he would be maximally committed to improving the situation.

“I will do everything I can to improve at least one thing in every segment; the citizens see this and know it. I will never lie and I will try to give my all. Time will tell whether this will be enough,” the minister said.

During the debate, the opposition claimed there had been “scandals, failures and zero accountability” and called for his resignation. On the other hand, Toshkovski and VMRO-DPMNE lawmakers responded by citing “concrete results, increased efficiency and dismantled criminal groups,” assessing that there is no basis for a demand against a minister who “is making efforts and has results.”

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