First, it is not true that the constitutional amendments provide a basis for a dramatic turnaround in the political life of the country. I confidently claim that they will not bring about anything important that we did not have before. In the context of objective influence on the political life, constitutional changes do not bring essentially new elements of bilingualism and democracy by consensus. I claim that these changes only provide a formal legal framework for the unofficial political practice that has been in place for more than a decade.
Secondly, it is not true that Macedonia will now become a bi-national or multinational state. Macedonia was never strictly speaking a mono-ethnic state, although a half-sentence stuck in the old preamble of the constitution claimed that much. The majority population in this country, ethnic Macedonians, never had enough national charge to create something akin to a nation state. Even the formal characteristics of this state were not and still aren't based on ethnicity. In the international communication we do not use the name Macedonia, we do not use our national flag, our coat of arms is made up, our army is not called Macedonian Army etc.
I personally believe that the attempt to transform Macedonia into a "civic" state will turn Macedonia into a happier, richer and more democratic state than other "national" Balkan states. These conceptual differences were debated before the adoption of the original constitution exactly ten years ago. Unfortunately, ten years later, that concept and logic were defeated - with weapons, terror and unprincipled support of the powerful international factors to the expansionist Greater Albanian concept of ethnic Albanians.
The "civic" concept has been defeated, but the "nationalist" concept will not will until the entity capable of promoting and carrying it in practice is created and strengthened. Ethnic Macedonians are not that entity. Ethnic Albanians in Macedonia will not be that entity until they become a majority in this state. I have the feeling that regarding the decision about the true "sovereign" of this country we are entering a sphere of anomie that definitely corresponds to our traditional refusal to allow and provide conditions for the rule of law.
You ask - if all of this is true, why was it necessary to vote for the constitutional amendments?
Because that was a forced political conclusion of a conflict that the international community promoted into a political conflict. According to the overall impression of the powerful international factors - and let us be realistic, their money will determine the fate and progress of this country - the conflict in Macedonia had political origin (insufficient rights of ethnic Albanians) and therefore, by definition, it had to be concluded by a political agreement. None of the foreigners ever admitted that the black shirts were fighting to conquer territories, that they shot to kill, that they used terror to ethnically cleanse territory they considered to be theirs. The truth was perfidiously murdered, just like all the other victims of this dirty war.
And now, here, the political agreement has arrived. This is what they wanted. Now we expect that they will be satisfied. Now, unconditional peace must ensue, since now there is no internationally recognized justification for war. Unfortunately, according to my contacts, foreigners are somehow reluctant when we demand that in return they give us peace. They say, it's not that easy. Why not? First you must declare an amnesty. Fine, that too will happen. And then? Peace? It seems it won't be that easy even then. Why? [Ethnic Albanian illegal university in] Mala Recica. Bit by bit it will become big Recica [small river]. After that it will become a river, then a big river, then a sea, and then an ocean, then the water in the ocean evaporates, turns into clouds, and finally rain falls in the small river...
This has no end, my dear readers. The reply we offered is enough for a short break, until the next war. Am I calling for a war? Of course not! Just listen to the ethnic Albanian representatives. They say that they are not satisfied by the constitutional changes. I am sure they aren't. One day they will become so dissatisfied that they will again fight for "greater rights".
Therefore, I voted in favor because we, ethnic Macedonians, need time to pull together, to come to our senses, to see who we are and what we want to do with ourselves and the environment around us. Because, let us not lie to each other, if that does not happen, the world will not count on us.