The chances of finishing the procedure of adopting the constitutional amendments by the end of the year are getting ever slimmer. Even though the initial plan was to vote through the amendments by the middle of October, the procedure will most likely be completed in the early months of 2015.

The absence of SDSM from the Parliament is said to be one of the reasons for the delay bearing in mind the criticisms of the international community and their appeals that such an important undertaking should not be carried out without the opposition.

Parliament officials say that the third and final stage of the procedure of altering the Constitution will begin once the Government provides the constitutional amendments to Parliament. The Ministry of Justice, on the other hand, says the amendments will be provided to Parliament for approval once it is finally determined which remarks from the public debate and the Venice Commission should be incorporated in the final draft.