Maricic: The Ohrid Framework Agreement is a successful model of managing ethnic and cultural identities

Photo: Secretariat for European Affairs

The Deputy Prime Minister in charge of European affairs, Bojan Maricic, participated today in the panel discussion on the topic "The importance and role of the Ohrid Framework Agreement on the road to the EU and its implementation in relation to the less numerous communities", where he stated that what we have done in the past two decades with the Framework Agreement, is a great value and a positive contribution, with which we enter the negotiations with the European Union, the Secretariat for European Affairs informs.

- What we have overcome 22 years ago, today seems impossible in the region, therefore for Europe, and also in the EU, we are considered a success story from which others can learn. The concept of our Constitution, in accordance with the Framework Agreement, also helped in the negotiations with Bulgaria, making the Bulgarian demands in one framework and more rational, creating conditions for the entry of Bulgarians into the Constitution according to the framework we have now, said Maricic, emphasizing that it is not something that it will make a turbulence or change to what we have now, the addition of a few more communities to our Constitution.

He emphasized that the Framework Agreement is the only successful diplomatic endeavor within the framework of the former Yugoslavia of the EU and the USA, which is the crown of diplomatic efforts and one of the pillars of stability in the Western Balkans.

- It is very important to realize that the Ohrid Framework Agreement and the way it functions with all its advantages and disadvantages, especially with the cohesion it enabled in society, is a model that we can seriously refer to and share as a successful model of managing ethnic and cultural identities, pointed out Maricic.

Within the framework of the negotiations with the EU, the Vice Prime Minister for European Affairs and the main negotiator with the EU indicated that there is a process of preparing a roadmap for the rule of law, which includes the Action Plan for the Protection of Minorities, "in which we will determine the measures for protection, strengthening the position of all kinds of minorities, not only ethnic ones, should make our political agenda on that plan until EU membership".

At the end of his presentation, Maricic said that it is very important that the Ohrid Framework Agreement does not remain in that form of an agreement, but that it be a living political concept.

– I think that is the key in what we do and in what we do. We started a few years ago with the concept of "One society for all", which should replace the name Ohrid Framework Agreement and translate it into that political concept, because the Ohrid Framework Agreement has been translated into an institutional concept through the Constitution, the institutions and the way they function, the way the assembly functions, the local councils and so on, Maricic said.

As stated in the announcement, the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that the goal of this political act is for everyone to feel equal and for North Macedonia to be a home for everyone, as it has been for years and centuries, and that the Government has a great understanding of this political concept.

MP Shkrijelj also participated in the panel discussion, as it is added, who referred to the significance of the Committee for Relations between Communities, as a working body of the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia, which has a great role, but also responsibility in the realization of general and special rights. of the communities.

- With this, the Committee has a great role and contribution in the development of the multicultural and multi-ethnic dimension of the Macedonian society, of real coexistence and respect for the diversity of all citizens, and thus the strengthening of parliamentary democracy, said Shkrijelj.

Deputy Minister for Political System and Inter-Community Relations Jabir Doko added that the Ohrid Framework Agreement is one of the key historical moments of our country and an example of how crises can be resolved and steps forward in peace and stability.

The panel discussion organized by the Association for Youth, Democracy and Human Rights UFUK-Skopje was also attended by Ismet Ramadani, President of the Euro-Atlantic Council of North Macedonia and Aleksandar Bajdevski, Deputy Minister for Information Society and Administration.

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