The Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) has expressed serious concerns regarding the government’s adoption of the Draft Law on Equitable and Adequate Representation, asserting that it fails to provide a genuine solution and instead exacerbates inequalities while sidestepping constitutional mandates.

DUI highlights the public dissent of Prof. Dr. Mersim Maksuti, an Albanian member of the working group, as a significant red flag. Maksuti has reportedly deemed the draft law “scandalous, unenforceable, and unconstitutional” due to the absence of quotas for underrepresented communities, weak enforcement mechanisms, and an over-reliance on political will rather than legal obligations.

The DUI argues that the law, as it stands, does not guarantee representation quotas for ethnic communities, diluting the collective right to representation through ambiguous criteria such as “professionalism” and “competence,” reminiscent of pre-2001 practices.

Furthermore, DUI criticizes the proposed Coordinating Body as ineffective and lacking the necessary political leadership and authority to hold institutions accountable for violations of the law.

DUI claims that the law was formulated based on the interests of Karakamisheva, rather than addressing the actual needs of discriminated citizens, and was hastily adopted for submission to the Venice Commission, bypassing essential internal public debate.

The party stresses that the absence of sanctions and legal accountability renders the law a mere propaganda tool, lacking binding force and failing to genuinely improve representation. DUI also refutes the justification for avoiding quotas by referencing a Constitutional Court decision, asserting that Amendment VI of the Constitution guarantees the right to fair and adequate representation as a collective right.

DUI maintains its commitment to the Ohrid Agreement, the Constitution, and the fundamental right of all citizens to fair representation in public institutions, viewing representation as a constitutional and moral obligation.