End of an era in North Macedonia. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the country, Bouyar Osmani, interpreted today, Wednesday, thatIt cannot be extended after February 12, 2024 the validity of citizens’ passports in which the oldest name of the country is written (“Republic of Macedonia”), as such a thing would be contrary to the Prespa Agreement.

“It is obvious that this (the Prespa Agreement) is an international agreement that has been ratified by the Parliaments of both countries and it is clear that this cannot be a matter for the decision of one government, but (the decision) of both two countries and in this period there are no suitable conditions for such a thing” said Bouyar Osmani, asked to answer journalistic questions if the validity of travel documents of citizens in which the previous name of the country is written can be extended after February 12 .

It is noted that on February 12, 2024 five years have passed since it entered into force the Prespa Agreement and based on the Agreement, within this period, the citizens of the country must replace their travel documents (passports), if they want to travel abroad, so that the new name of the state is written on them: Republic of the North Macedonia. However, the competent authorities of the country, due to a lack of logistical infrastructure and delays in issuing new documents, are unable to respond to the mass requests of citizens to replace their documents. Many citizens of the country even wait for days in the queues that have formed all the past months in front of the police stations in Skopje to change their personal documents, without being able to be served.

“After February 13, the Greek side will have to inform the EU that the period of validity ceases to apply (s.s. for passports in which the previous name of the country is written). After that, all countries will receive this the information on behalf of Greece, they will begin to comply with it. That’s why I say “in this period, instead of initiatives for extension, let’s have initiatives to replace the documents”” added Boujar Osmani, after today’s meeting in Skopje with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Albania, Igli Hassani.

The President of North Macedonia, Stevo Pendarovski, last week proposed to the country’s government to proceed with changing existing laws in order to extend, until September, instead of February, the deadline for the replacement of personal documents of the country’s citizens, while the largest opposition party VMRO-DPMNE asked the Constitutional Court to proceed with an interpretation so that passports and driving licenses bearing the former name of country to continue to apply after February 12.

“Instead of giving false hopes to citizens that we will change the provisions of the Prespa Agreement, that we will change the Law on the Implementation of Constitutional Amendments, let us make efforts so that there are no obstacles for citizens after February 13. Not even this request to the Constitutional Court will be able to change the Prespa Agreement, nor any amendment of Laws” Bouyar Osmani clarified.

The Prespa Agreement entered into force on 12 February 2019. Based on the provisions of the agreement, all official documents and materials of the public administration of North Macedonia for international use and those for internal use that can be used abroad (including passports and permits driving) will be replaced within five years at the latest from the entry into force of the agreement, in order to indicate the new name of the country (Republic of North Macedonia).

North Macedonia started issuing new personal documents for the country’s citizens (IDs, passports, driving licenses) only from July 2021. Due to a lack of logistical infrastructure, a large number of the country’s citizens have so far not been able to replace their personal of documents.

The Ministry of the Interior of North Macedonia announced today that until January 16, 2024, 1,050,439 identity cards, 1,211,776 passports and 546,741 new type driving licenses have been issued.

The opposition VMRO-DPMNE claims that almost half of North Macedonia’s citizens have not yet managed to replace their passports due to “of the incompetence of the government”.

The Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Dimitar Kovacevski refuted these claims:

“Superhuman efforts are being made by the employees of the Ministry of Interior, 1.2 million passports have been replaced. You see they also work holidays and Sundays. It is a process that will be completed” assured yesterday the prime minister of North Macedonia.