SDSM is challenging Mickoski, Siljanovska-Davkova and Mucunski with one simple line of argument - they have already publicly endorsed the key diplomatic agreements they used to attack with full force. Up next, the opposition says, are constitutional amendments.

The list of endorsements, according to SDSM, is not short. Prime Minister Mickoski reportedly described the Prespa agreement as a „masterpiece of diplomacy”. Foreign Minister Timčo Mucunski called NATO membership „phenomenal”. President Siljanovska-Davkova, in an official appearance, confirmed that the question of the Macedonian language, culture and national identity is „resolved”.

For SDSM, this is political gold. The party spent years fighting back against VMRO-DPMNE, which accused it of „treason” in the negotiations with Greece and Bulgaria. Now that the government finally has the power to put its own signature under historic documents, it is behaving exactly as SDSM did. At least when it comes to accepting the potential solution - not the manner of doing it.

The logical next step, per SDSM: constitutional amendments recognising minorities. Bulgarians, Serbs, Croats, Roma, Bosniaks, Turks, Albanians - all of them. The opposition is dropping the tactic many expected - instead of using the moment for criticism, it is using it for pressure: if you're already on this road, finish it.

VMRO-DPMNE, of course, cannot simply say „yes”. Constitutional amendments need a two-thirds majority in parliament. The party has a large chunk of its own voters who see it as „capitulation”. At the same time, without the amendments, there's no EU. And without the EU, there is no political future for the government.

That is the political trap the current government is in. Block the amendments and you can pose as „the defender of Macedonian”. Accept them and you lose part of your ideological base. And unlike SDSM, which rammed Prespa and North Macedonia through with brute force in three months, this lot has time. Plenty of time. Meanwhile, nothing is happening on EU integration.

The opposition always views the government's plans with sudden respect once it has to make the hard decisions. That is the old Macedonian story. Once you get into power, you understand why the previous government did what it did. Sometimes the understanding arrives too late.