Baderter majority faces fresh blockade — Albanian opposition to block at least six more laws

Parliamentary work in Skopje is set to run into a new wave of obstruction after MPs return from their summer break: the Albanian opposition block intends to block at least six additional laws that require a Baderter majority, sources in Parliament say. More than 10 bills are already described as stuck in parliamentary drawers.

Key numbers and timeline

The ruling majority has submitted harmonising amendments to 44 laws, and officials expect the total number of draft changes to exceed 50. Most of those proposals alter only two or three articles in each law to align them with the new Law on Senior Managers; all were tabled for expedited procedure and are planned to be adopted quickly after MPs return on August 20.

Lawmakers who introduced the package are led by the ZNAM group, and some proposals also carry signatures from VMRO-DPMNE MPs. The amendments were prepared to bring appointment, term, termination and dismissal rules for directors in line with the Law on Senior Managers; the Ministry of Public Administration, led by minister Goran Minchev of ZNAM, is listed as the driving institution behind the harmonisation.

The Albanian opposition bloc says it will not support changes that require the Baderter double-majority, including bills from the fields of education and culture. Among the measures the bloc intends to block are amendments to the Law on Educational Inspection, the Law on Protection of Cultural Heritage, the Law on the Inspectorate for Use of Languages, the Law on Film Activity, the Law on the Establishment of a National Agency for European Educational Programmes and Mobility, and the Law on the Rights of Communities that constitute less than 20 percent of the population.

If the opposition holds its position and prevents a Baderter majority, directors in affected institutions will continue to be appointed and dismissed "as before" under existing rules. The ruling majority acknowledges the risk and is reportedly preparing a workaround: scheduling separate parliamentary sessions so that laws not requiring the double-majority are voted in one sitting while Baderter cases are placed on separate plenary agendas.

Should the Baderter laws fail to gather the required support, they could remain pending until a new parliamentary composition is formed — unless the ruling coalition persuades additional community MPs to change sides in the meantime. The Albanian opposition has for about a month already used procedural objections to halt adoption of the Law on Fair Representation and three higher-education bills.

Photo: press material from the event