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Constitutional Reform: Ohrid Agreement

Implementations

Constitutional Reform – 2001

The Macedonian assembly, on 7 September 2001, approved the Ohrid Agreement and paved the wayfor the advancement of the peace process to the next stage involving disarmament of ethnic Albanian rebels and the disbandment of National Liberation Army (NLA). After the disarmament, which was scheduled to be completed within 30 days (by 27 September) of the deployment of the NATO mission, the constitutional amendments were said to be forwarded.

On 19 September 2001, after the meeting of the assembly’s constitutional commission, president Trajkovski recommended that the Macedonian Assembly draft amendments on constitutions. It was said that the public debate was to last for 10 days starting the day when the assembly drafts the amendments.[fn]”Macedonia: Assembly body recommends going on with constitutional amendments,” BBC Monitoring Europe, September 19, 2001.[/efn_note] But, the proposal by the small New Democracy party to put the constitutional amendments to a referendum disrupted the drafting process.¹

On 16 November 2001, the Macedonian assembly approved 15 different amendments of the constitution including a new — that gives improved rights to the country’s ethnic Albanians. These amendments were adopted by a large majority, with 94 deputies voting in favor and only 14 against the measures.²“Macedonia gets new constitution boosting ethnic-Albanian rights,” Agence France Presse, November 16, 2001; For details of amendments, see, http://eudo-citizenship.eu/NationalDB/docs/MAC%20Const%20Amendments%20IV…

“NATO begins last stage of weapons collection in Macedonia, parliament debate reflects obstacles ahead to peace,” Associated Press, September 20, 2001.