There will be no talks about a new anthem and changing the wording "20 percent" in the Albanian language, if the Constitution is opened, it will only be for a new state coat of arms and we will try to secure a consensus for that, a senior government official told "Sloboden Pechat" after the announcements of the government partner Vredi for a package of constitutional amendments that would resolve several open ethnic issues. With this, the Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski sends a clear message to government partners Arben Taravari, Bilal Kasami and Izet Mexiti that no "ethnic package" will be on the table except for the state coat of arms.

– No, we will not even start talks about a new anthem, about "20 percent", about a Macedonian national flag. The only talks that have started are about changing the state coat of arms. In addition to the parties, experts will also be consulted about changing the coat of arms, and the intention is to secure a consensus for the new state symbol – says the senior government official, but does not reveal how they will convince SDSM to support a new solution for the coat of arms.

For now, they are not even revealing whether the latest proposal from the time of the former prime minister is in play. Nikola Gruevski The state coat of arms should consist of a golden shield with a depiction of an angry red lion, and above the shield there should be a crown, an idea inspired by symbols from the 15th and 16th centuries. The LDP, on the other hand, proposed that the lynx should be a consensual solution, as a reasonable characteristic that has a connection to the country.
After the Prime Minister's confirmation that they are discussing a new state coat of arms with Vredi, the leaders of the Albanian government partner increased their appetites and proposed that, along with the coat of arms, the anthem be changed, as well as the wording "20 percent".

Possible change: Will the new national emblem also include a new anthem and flag?

We are ready to discuss everything, a package of measures that will resolve all outstanding issues from the past - said Taravari, answering a journalist's question regarding the change of the state coat of arms.

According to Taravari, Macedonia is one of the few post-socialist countries whose coat of arms has not been changed.

-Vrde is ready to discuss everything. Unfortunately, in the past period, more, so to speak, sensitive topics were swept under the carpet and somehow hidden, we did not want to face them. We are ready to discuss a package of measures that have been unresolved in the past 20-30 years and to resolve them as a package, why not include the coat of arms and the anthem and "20 percent" and other ethnic issues, if there are any, and to focus on the economy, European integration, anti-corruption, ... That is what interests the citizens, better salaries, a better life - said Taravari.

When asked what should be on the back, Taravari replied that Vredi had not yet opened this topic.

-We are prepared and I think it would be nice to open all the topics and find a solution, rather than leave them and see if we can solve them later - Taravari repeated.

Kasami and Medjiti previously spoke out in favor of changing the coat of arms, as well as the anthem and the "20 percent" vote.
The opposition DUI went a step further and demanded the separation of the state flag from the national flag of the Macedonians, that is, he proposed that the Macedonians adopt a national flag that would be different from the state flag.
The opposition parties are against changing the coat of arms. SDSM and the LeftAfter the statement of the SDSM leader Venko Filipce that they will oppose a change of back and from Left They say that with all available democratic and institutional mechanisms they will strongly oppose the attempt to change the coat of arms and other state symbols.

-When things are called by their right names, then it becomes clear that this disastrous adventure in which the government is embarking stems from the neo-fascism of Vredi and the anti-communist hysteria of VMRO-DPMNE and ZNAM. The agreement between a few must not change the state symbols that are collective marks of the people. Historical revisionism and systematic destruction of the ASNOM foundations of the state are part of a retrograde project to dismantle the progressive principles of Macedonian statehood. Now, unlike before when they erased the five-pointed star from the coat of arms, the Left is present in the Macedonian Parliament. The erasure of ASNOM and NOB must stop - say from the Left.

Mickoski will change the state coat of arms, Taravari and Kasami languages