1.   As a first step, a draft amendment to the constitution will have to be proposed by the government.

2.   The draft amendment with a Senate sponsor could appear Tuesday.

3.   Critics of the alleged draft amendments claim the proposals sow the seeds of a future dictatorship.

4.   Earlier this month, the lower house of parliament took a first step toward allowing the exiled males to return by approving a draft constitutional amendment.

5.   Ethnic Macedonian legislators claimed the law was riddled with faults, swamping the assembly with dozens of draft amendments.

6.   Hardline Macedonian legislators are expected to push for changes in the draft amendments that could undermine the extent of planned reforms.

7.   His comments signaled support for a draft amendment on land sales, supported by four centrist parties, which will be introduced in the Duma on Friday.

8.   The new draft amendment also will liberalize conditions of payment, allowing non-resident foreigners to transfer money to Thailand for purchases.

9.   The ruling Macedonian party, led by Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski, reiterated support for the existing versions of the draft amendments.

10.   Zainal hoped unions would give input to the draft amendments before they were tabled in Parliament in March.