The government, despite the refusal of VMRO-DPMNE to delegate its expert to the working group for changing the Preamble of the Constitution, leaves the door open, but will not wait indefinitely. This was highlighted yesterday by the Vice Prime Minister for European integration Bojan Maricic, and the Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski is also counting on bulldozer diplomacy to reach the necessary 80 parliamentary votes for changes to the Constitution. In the context of this development of events was the published photo of the leader of the opposition Hristijan Mickoski from before the entrance of the EU-Infocenter, although the European ambassador David Geer did not want to comment, but said that they have regular contacts with parties from both the government and the opposition and added that for the accession process to the EU there must be agreement between all political parties.

The team of experts that will have to prepare the constitutional amendments is expected to be known these days. According to information from "Sloboden Pechat", the Minister of Justice Krenar Loga has already met with professors and experts in constitutional law, and these days he will officially request the head of state Stevo Pendarovski to delegate his representative to the team that will work on the constitutional amendments.

The close leadership of the SDSM, on the other hand, unofficially negotiated a strategy last night on how to push through the constitutional amendments in the Parliament, for which they need a two-thirds majority in the Parliament, ie 80 MPs.

The government issued a public call to VMRO-DPMNE to participate in changing the Constitution in order to include Bulgarians in the Preamble as a necessary condition for European integration.

"We are in talks with several experts this week and we will formalize that working group these days. Most are willing to participate in the process without any problem. We remain on the original idea that the parties appoint experts or representatives of the parties to participate in this working group, and we will certainly have patience for them to nominate, but we will not wait indefinitely", said the Vice Prime Minister for European integration Bojan Maricic.

He expressed his regret if VMRO-DPMNE decided not to participate in the preparation of the amendments and repeated that they are not opening the process, because it is not only in the interest of the Government, but it is in the interest of the state.

"I am convinced that in VMRO-DPMNE there are people who understand this and will not allow themselves to be held hostage by anti-European politics. I see no reason for them not to participate, or even to oppose and have arguments against, let's face them on the table. We create our future and if we ourselves decide to enter a tunnel with no exit, it will be our responsibility. I appeal to the opposition to join the talks, we don't have to agree on everything, but it is important to talk," said Maricic.

Geer did not reveal details about the photo with Mickoski before the entrance to the EU-Infocenter

For the formation of the team responsible for preparing the constitutional amendments, the Minister of Justice Loga has already met with Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski, Deputy Prime Minister Maricic, First Deputy Prime Minister Artan Grubi and Deputy Prime Minister for Good Governance Slavica Grkovska, as well as professors of constitutional law. President Pendarovski is expected to propose an expert for the team. We learn that the team will be a combination of professors and experts who have already worked on the Constitution, as well as young but profiled professors of constitutional law.

Unofficially, the constitutional amendments were also the topic of the closest party leadership of SDSM last night. It was agreed that the process would take place in two stages. In the first phase, they will try to convince citizens and deputies that there is nothing controversial in the constitutional amendments, while in the second phase, the target will be the smaller coalition partners of VMRO-DPMNE.

European Ambassador Gir, when asked about a photo that appeared in the public of the leader of the opposition, Hristijan Mickoski entering the EU-Infocenter in Skopje, did not reveal any details. He stated that they have regular contacts with parties from both the government and the opposition and said that for the EU accession process there must be agreement between all political parties. According to him, the whole issue of constitutional amendments is a sovereign decision that should be taken by the state.

"We talk to all the stakeholders about all the issues that are relevant. But once again I would like not to go into individual details about the conversations we have with leaders or members of political parties. Suffice it to say that we want to see this country moving rapidly towards the EU. The way is open, we now have a great opportunity and now is the time to take advantage of that opportunity, as you heard from High Representative Borrell and Commissioner Varhelji last week," Geer emphasized.

Miteva: Did an MP from DUI ask for money to vote?

VMRO-DPMNE reiterated that they will not participate in the working group for constitutional amendments, that constitutional amendments in this parliamentary composition will not take place at the behest of Bulgaria, and that the entire process led by the government is illegitimate, because there is no support from the citizens. While the team for the preparation of the amendments is working, the opposition is constantly counting how many MPs are missing for amendments to the Constitution.

VMRO-DPMNE spokeswoman Marija Miteva, to a journalist's question, what is VMRO-DPMNE's comment on Grubi's position that they have a plan to get the opposition to vote for the constitutional amendments, without using blackmail and pressure and that all MPs are working to vote for the Constitution, told the First Vice Prime Minister that he should not work on VMRO-DPMNE, but rather work on whether all deputies from his second party, SDSM, are ready to vote for constitutional amendments.

"Grubi should work on whether all MPs from his second party, SDSM, are ready to vote for constitutional amendments." And here we are asking whether three MPs from the First and Second Constituencies said that if this is on the table, they will not vote, or whether six MPs from within the SDS told them that the constitutional amendments, I quote: "are the worst thing that this Government to do it." Did an MP from DUI ask for money to vote? Grubi should not work at VMRO-DPMNE, Grubi should work in his own yard," Miteva said.