Zaev: Coming days to show if deal with opposition is possible
Developments in the coming days will show whether it is possible to reach an agreement with the conservative opposition on the constitutional changes the parliament of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) is required to approve as part of a deal signed with Greece, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said on Monday, a day after the referendum held in the country.
In Sunday's vote, people backed overwhelmingly the name deal but participation in the poll was much lower than the 50 percent threshold required to make it legal.
Changing elements of the country's constitution is part of the terms agreed last June for Greece to lift its veto on FYROM's entry to the EU and NATO.
Zaev said Monday was a day to “digest all the analyses and plans,” adding that attempts will be made in the coming days to reach a consensus with VMRO-DPMNE on the constitutional changes.
If no solution is found, the country will be led to early elections, he said and warned the opposition to show “political maturity” since there is no alternative to the agreement reached with Greece.
In the final results announced by the country's State Electoral Commission, 36.91 percent, or 666.743 of registered voters participated in the referendum.
Of these, 91.46 percent voted in favor of the name deal with Greece, while 5.66 percent voted against it. A further 19.221 ballots were invalid (2.89 percent).
