Preamble
Taking as starting points the historical, cultural, spiritual and statehood heritage of the Macedonian people and their struggle over centuries for national and social freedom as well as the creation of their own state, and particularly the traditions of statehood and legality of the Krushevo Republic and the historic decisions of the Anti-Fascist Assembly of the People's Liberation of Macedonia, together with the constitutional and legal continuity of the Macedonian state as a sovereign republic within Federal Yugoslavia and freely manifested will of the citizens of the Republic of Macedonia in the referendum of 8 Sep 1991, as well as the historical fact that Macedonia is established as a national state of the Macedonian people, in which full equality as citizens and permanent co-existence with the Macedonian people is provided for Albanians, Turks, Vlachs, Romanics and other nationalities living in the Republic of Macedonia, and intent on:
- the establishment of the Republic of Macedonia as a sovereign and independent state, as well as a civil and democratic one;
- the establishment and consolidation of the rule of law as a fundamental system of government;
- the guaranteeing of human rights, citizens' freedoms and ethnic equality;
- the provision of peace and a common home for the Macedonian people with the nationalities living in the Republic of Macedonia; and on
- the provision of social justice, economic well-being and prosperity in the life of the individual and the community,the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia adopts the Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia.
CHAPTER I BASIC PROVISIONS
Article 1
1. The Republic of Macedonia is a sovereign, independent, democratic and social state.
2. The sovereignty of the Republic of Macedonia is indivisible, inalienable, and nontransferable.
Article 2
1. Sovereignty in the Republic of Macedonia derives from the citizens and belongs to the citizens.
2. The citizens of the Republic of Macedonia exercise their authority through democratically elected Representatives through referendum and through other forms of direct expression.
Article 3
1. The territory of the Republic of Macedonia is indivisible and inviolable.
2. The existing borders of the Republic of Macedonia are inviolable.
3. The borders of the Republic of Macedonia can only be changed in accordance with the Constitution and on the principle of free will, as well in accordance with generally accepted international norms.
4. The Republic of Macedonia has no territorial pretensions towards any neighboring state.
Article 4
1. Citizens of the Republic of Macedonia have citizenship of the Republic of Macedonia.
2. A subject of the Republic of Macedonia may either be deprived of citizenship, nor expelled or extradited to another state.
1. Citizenship of the Republic of Macedonia is regulated by law.
Article 5
1. The state symbols of the Republic of Macedonia are the coat of arms, the flag, and the national anthem.
2. The coat of arms, the flag, and the national anthem of the Republic of Macedonia are adopted by law by a two-thirds majority vote of the total number of Assembly Representatives.
Article 6
The Capital of the Republic of Macedonia is Skopje.
Article 7
1. The Macedonian language, written using its Cyrillic alphabet, is the official language in the Republic of Macedonia.
2. In the units of local self-government where the majority of the inhabitants belong to a nationality, in addition to the Macedonian language and Cyrillic alphabet, their language and alphabet are also in official use, in a manner determined by law.
3. In the units of local self-government where there is a considerable number of inhabitants belonging to a nationality, their language and alphabet are also in official use, in addition to the Macedonian language and Cyrillic alphabet, under conditions and in a manner determined by law.
Article 8
1. The fundamental values of the constitutional order of the Republic of Macedonia are:
- the basic freedoms and rights of the individual and citizen, recognized in international law and set down in the Constitution;
- the free expression of national identity;
- the rule of law;
- the division of state powers into legislative, executive and judicial;
- the legal protection of property;
- the freedom of the market and entrepreneurship;
- humanism, social justice and solidarity;
- local self-government;
- proper urban and rural planning to promote a congenial human environment, as well as ecological protection and development; and
- respect for the generally accepted norms of international law.
2. Anything that is not prohibited by the Constitution or by law is permitted in the Republic of Macedonia.
