Macedonia Govt Submits Constitutional Changes for 'Name' Deal

The government submitted the draft constitutional amendments to parliament on Friday, launching the second of the three phases in the process to adopt the 'name' agreement that would unblock the country's path towards NATO and EU membership.

Тhe first draft amendment envisages the addition of the adjective 'North' to the name of the country, as stipulated in the 'name' agreement.

The second draft amendment envisages changes in the constitution's introductory statement that would reaffirm the foundations of Macedonia's statehood in more detail and remove any Greek concerns about possible irredentism, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev explained.

The constitution's introductory statement will also mention the Ohrid Framework Agreement, which ended a brief armed conflict with ethnic Albanian insurgents in 2001.

The third draft stipulates that the country that the country respects the territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence of its neighbours.

The final draft amendment concerns articles in the constitution that cover what the country does for its diaspora.

Zaev explained that this text will be realigned according to European standards so that it addresses Athens's worries about possible irredentism and interference Greece's internal affairs.

"The four amendments are fairly simple. One part of the public feared that this will be a complicated process which will endanger [Macedonian] identity. Now that we are disclosing the amendments, we are completely removing those worries," Zaev told a press conference on Friday.

Zaev said that during the preparation of the drafts, the majority consulted many of the opposition MPs whose votes are crucial, and incorporated many of their suggestions, mainly those offering...