Macedonian gov't to adopt language law before local elections: PM

Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-19 23:40:32|Editor: yan
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SKOPJE, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev voiced confidence on Wednesday that the government would adopt the law on languages before the local elections.

"The government will adopt the law before the local elections, and if we are prepared, the bill will also be passed in Parliament. You will see the votes will be in the favor of the ruling coalition," Zaev told reporters.

The Macedonian justice ministry is to forward the law to the government. It will also be sent to the Venice Commission, an advisory body of the Council of Europe.

The ruling coalition led by the Social Democratic Union (SDSM) of Zoran Zaev was formed with the votes of two ethnic Albanian parties.

The condition set by the two ethnic Albanian parties to join coalition was the expansion the Albanian language in Macedonia so that it would become a second official language.

While the minor coalition party, DPA-Movement for Reforms, wants the law to be adopted as soon as possible, the two main ruling parties -- the SDSM, and the biggest ethnic Albanian party in Macedonia, the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) -- insisted that the draft law must first be checked by the European Commission for Democracy through Law, otherwise known as the Venice Commission.

A few months ago, several thousands of people protested in Macedonia's capital city of Skopje against any agreement that would ensure the wider use of the Albanian language.

Now it remains to be seen what will happen before local elections, which are scheduled to take place in October.

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