Macedonian Parliament Expected to OK Peace Deal

A long-stalled peace deal for Macedonia could be adopted by the parliament as early as this week, a top European Union official said after meeting with leaders of the country’s rival ethnic groups.

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana announced Friday that ethnic Macedonian and ethnic Albanian leaders had resolved their differences over constitutional changes envisaged by the Aug. 13 peace accord.

The deal aims to end an insurgency by the ethnic Albanian minority in exchange for broader rights for the group.

“We have all the amendments agreed,” Solana said, alluding to the draft constitutional reform. “I have no doubt that . . . amendments will be approved” when Macedonia’s parliament convenes next week, he said.

Ethnic Albanian militants took up arms in February, saying they sought broader rights for their community, which makes up at least a quarter of Macedonia’s 2 million people.

Some Macedonian lawmakers, however, have obstructed passage of the reforms in parliament, insisting that the insurgents are separatists with territorial aspirations.