Skopje - Macedonia's parliament yesterday gave preliminary approval to amend the constitution to improve the rights of Albanians and end a guerrilla insurrection.
But the peace deal, under which rebels have turned in almost their entire declared arsenal to NATO, could still unravel if the assembly votes to put it to a referendum.
Legislators voted in 15 draft amendments to the constitution. Nationalist hardliners have vowed to water down some of the clauses before the ratification stage.