COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 2026 Rule of Law Report Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in North Macedonia Accompanying the document Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions 2026 Rule of Law Report The rule of law situation in the European Union
Date: 2026-07-17
Institutions: European Commission, Secretariat-General
Subjects: North Macedonia, administrative transparency, corruption, democracy, freedom of the press, human rights, independence of the judiciary, pluralism in the media, rule of law, whistleblowing

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 17.7.2026  SWD(2026) 930 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 2026 Rule of Law Report                                       Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in North Macedonia Accompanying the document Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions 2026 Rule of Law Report                                        The rule of law situation in the European Union {COM(2026) 900 final} - {SWD(2026) 901 final} - {SWD(2026) 902 final} - {SWD(2026) 903 final} - {SWD(2026) 904 final} - {SWD(2026) 905 final} - {SWD(2026) 906 final} - {SWD(2026) 907 final} - {SWD(2026) 908 final} - {SWD(2026) 909 final} - {SWD(2026) 910 final} - {SWD(2026) 911 final} - {SWD(2026) 912 final} - {SWD(2026) 913 final} - {SWD(2026) 914 final} - {SWD(2026) 915 final} - {SWD(2026) 916 final} - {SWD(2026) 917 final} - {SWD(2026) 918 final} - {SWD(2026) 919 final} - {SWD(2026) 920 final} - {SWD(2026) 921 final} - {SWD(2026) 922 final} - {SWD(2026) 923 final} - {SWD(2026) 924 final} - {SWD(2026) 925 final} - {SWD(2026) 926 final} - {SWD(2026) 927 final} - {SWD(2026) 928 final} - {SWD(2026) 929 final} - {SWD(2026) 931 final}  
 
 
ABSTRACT 

North  Macedonia  continued  to  implement  the  2024–2028  Strategy  for  Judicial  Reform, 
although challenges persist, notably inadequate cooperation between institutions. Interference 
and pressure from  other  State branches continue  to  raise serious  concerns about  respect  for 
judicial  independence.  The  independence  of  the  judiciary  and  autonomy  of  prosecution  are 
undermined by insufficient  budgetary allocation. The dismissal procedure against the Chief 
Prosecutor  exposed  a  risk  of  politicisation  and  shortcomings  in  the  dismissal  rules.  The 
Government  proposed  amendments  to  the  laws  on  the  Public  Prosecutor’s  Office  and  the 
Parliament  adopted  new  amendments  to  the  Law  on  the  Council  of  Public  Prosecutors  to 
strengthen  the  autonomy  of  the  prosecution  service,  but  further  revisions  are  needed. 
Parliament adopted a new Law on the Judicial Council with a view to align with European 
standards.  The  shortage  of  staff  in  the  judiciary  has  worsened  with  no  new  candidates  for 
judges  and  prosecutors  undergoing  initial  training,  and  insufficient  funding  for  supporting 
staff.  

A new Strategy for the Prevention of Corruption and Conflict of Interest is envisaged to be 
adopted,  while  the  implementation  of  the  2021-2025  Strategy  continued  to  be  low. 
Amendments  to  the  Criminal  Code  were  adopted,  which  presented  several  shortcomings 
compared  with  the  previous  framework,  while  a  comprehensive  reform  is  in  preparation. 
Despite  recent  efforts  to  investigate  and  prosecute  corruption,  delays  in  court  proceedings, 
infrequent  final  convictions and limited resources  continue to  impede the development  of a 
strong track-record of high-level  corruption cases. The State Commission  for Prevention of 
Corruption  took  steps  to  rebuild  public  trust  in  the  institution  while,  the  Law  on  the 
Prevention  of  Corruption  and  Conflict  of  Interest  is  currently  under  revision.  The  effective 
oversight of campaigns and political party financing continues to be affected by inadequate 
legislation  and  a  lack  of  resources  in  the  State  Commission  for  Prevention  of  Corruption. 
Whistleblower  protection  remains  insufficient  as  the  revision  of  the  Whistleblowers 
Protection Law has not advanced. Corruption in public procurement and healthcare continues 
to be identified as risk areas. 

Appointments of the new members of the Council of the Agency for Audio and Audiovisual 
Media  Services  were  made,  while  concerns  regarding  the  financial  independence  of  the 
Agency  persist.  Efforts  are  ongoing  to  modernise  the  Public  Service  Broadcaster,  although 
challenges  persist  due  to  limited  administrative  autonomy  and  irregular  funding.  The 
implementation of the legal framework on access to public information remains inconsistent 
and  there  are  ongoing  efforts  to  revise  it.  Journalists  face  pressure  from  political  actors, 
increased  online  violence  and  SLAPP  threats,  while  their  working  conditions  have  not 
improved.  

Parliament made several appointments to independent institutions, although concerns remain 
about  merit-based  selection  procedures.  There  was  no  improvement  in  the  financial  and 
human  resource  situation  of  the  Ombudsperson’s  Office  or  the  Commission  for  Prevention 
and  Protection  against  Discrimination.  The  Constitutional  Court  continued  to  improve  its 
capacity  to  protect  constitutionality  and  legality.  The  Government  continued  its  efforts  to 
strengthen  cooperation  with  civil  society  organisations,  while  challenges  related  to  funding 
for  CSOs  remain.  Efforts  were  made  to  address  shortcomings  concerning  evidence-based 
policy planning. 

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I. 

JUSTICE SYSTEM1  

Independence  

The level of perceived judicial independence in North Macedonia continues to be very 
low among both the general public and companies. Overall, 21% of the general population 
and 19% of companies perceive the level of independence of courts and judges to be ‘fairly 
or  very  good’  in  20262.  The  perceived  judicial  independence  has  significantly  decreased  in 
comparison with 2025 both among the general public (28% in 2025) and companies (26% in 
2025). The main reasons cited by the general public for the perceived lack of independence of 
courts  and  judges  are  the  perception  of  interference  or  pressure  from  the  Government  and 
politicians  as  well  as,  cited  by  both  the  general  public  and  companies,  the  interference  or 
pressure from economic or other specific interests3. 

North Macedonia continued to implement the 2024–2028 Strategy for Judicial Reform, 
although  challenges  persist,  notably  inadequate  cooperation  between  institutions.  The 
implementation  rate of activities planned in  2025 stands at  57%, indicating a 14% increase 
compared with 20244. The Council for Monitoring the Implementation of the Strategy5 met 
only twice in 2025 which hindered prompt follow-up and the adoption of corrective measures 
to  address  shortcomings  within  the  judiciary.  Other  key  challenges  to  implementing  the 
strategy were limited funding and human resources6.  

Interference and pressure from other State branches continue to raise serious concerns 
about respect for judicial independence. Elected officials and Government representatives 
have  escalated  their  personal  criticism  against  judges  and  prosecutors  they  accuse  of 
corruption7 and statements from the highest levels of Government were issued about plans to 
clean up the judiciary and prosecution8. These statements risk to undermine the independence 
of the judiciary and the principle of separation of powers. Moreover, judges and prosecutors 
are  experiencing  increased  pressure  from  public  smear  campaigns,  both  online  and  through 
the media, involving high-ranking executive officials and politicians9. The Judicial Council, 
Supreme Court, and Association of Judges have jointly issued a public statement expressing 
concern  over  persistent,  unsubstantiated  critiques  of  the  judiciary,  which  they  argue 
undermine judicial independence and violate democratic principles concerning the separation 
of powers10.  

1   An overview of the institutional framework for all four pillars can be found here. 
2   Flash Eurobarometers  581 and 582 (2026). The level of perceived judicial independence is categorised as 
follows: very low (below 30% of respondents perceive judicial independence as fairly good and very good); 
low (between 30-39%), average (between 40-59%), high (between 60-75%), very high (above 75%). 

3   Flash Eurobarometers 581 and 582 (2026); Flash Eurobarometers 554 and 555 (2025). 
4   Ministry of Justice (2026b)Annual Implementation Report of the Strategy for the Judicial Reform. Of the 
116 planned activities for 2025, 66 have been fully implemented, implementation of 50 is ongoing, and 105 
were not implemented. 

5   2025  Rule  of  Law  Report,  North  Macedonia,  p.  2  and  Government  of  North  Macedonia  (2026),  written 
input,  p.  2.  The  Council's  mandate  provides  a  framework  for  a  coordinated  and  strategic  approach  to 
judicial  reform,  ensuring  coherence,  continuity,  and  alignment  with  the  EU  integration  process.  The 
Council is chaired by the Minister of Justice. 

6   Ministry of Justice (2026b), Annual Implementation Report of the Strategy for the Judicial Reform, p. 9. 
7   2025 Enlargement Report, North Macedonia, p. 27. 
8   Media Information Agency (2025). 
9  
10   Media Information Agency (2025). 

Judicial Council, Public appeal to journalists (2025). 

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The  independence  of  the  judiciary  and  autonomy  of  prosecution  are  undermined  by 
insufficient budgetary allocations. The budgets of the judiciary and the public prosecution 
service  remain  below  the  legal  minimum,  and  the  4.3%  reduction  in  allocations  in  2025 
compared with the previous year added to a situation that undermines judicial independence 
and  prosecutorial  autonomy11.  Furthermore,  the  courts  and  prosecution  offices  still  need 
formal approval from the Ministry of Finance for internal budget allocations, such as resource 
and staffing decisions,  which does not  allow them  budgetary autonomy12. The  Government 
initiated legislative revisions of the laws regulating the salaries of judges, public prosecutors, 
members  of  the  Judicial  Council  and  the  Council  of  Public  Prosecutors,  with  the  aim  of 
improving the status of judges and public prosecutors in line with the European standards13. 
However,  in  February,  the  Parliament  amended  the  aforementioned  laws  on  salaries  of 
magistrates  in  a  shortened  procedure  reducing  the  coefficients  for  calculating  their  salaries. 
The  Association  of  Prosecutors  published  a  statement,  considering  that  insufficient 
remuneration  is  putting  into  question  the  independence  of  the  Public  Prosecutor’s  Office14. 
Furthermore,  on  3  March,  the  Supreme  Court  and  the  Judicial  Council  recalled  in  a  joint 
statement that the material and financial independence of the judiciary are not a privilege, but 
an  essential  element  of  the  constitutional  order  and  a  guarantee  for  the  rule  of  law15.  The 
Constitutional  Court,  stressing  that  the  financial  independence  is  guaranteed  by  the 
Constitution, annulled on 8 April the amendments to the Law on Salaries of Judges, made on 
February 202616 

The  dismissal  procedure  initiated  against  the  Chief  Prosecutor  exposed  a  risk  of 
politicisation  and  shortcomings  in  the  dismissal  rules,  and  ultimately  led  to  the  Chief 
Prosecutor’s resignation. On 16 December, the Chief Public Prosecutor publicly resigned, 
ahead of the Parliament session tabling the Government proposal for his dismissal, based on 
allegations that he had harmed the judiciary's reputation17. The Council of Public Prosecutors 
reiterated  its  negative  opinion  on  the  dismissal  proposal18.  Stakeholders  considered  the 
dismissal process to set a negative precedent, with potentially significant implications for the 
autonomy  of  the  Public  Prosecution  Office,  raising  substantial  questions  about  the  rule  of 
law, the consistency of institutional procedures, as well as pointing out the lack of clarity on 
the  factual  and  legal  basis  for  the  dismissal19.  A  new  Chief  Public  Prosecutor,  meeting  the 

11   For  the  judicial  system,  instead  of  the  legally  prescribed  budget  set  at  0.8%  of  GDP  (Law  on  the  Court 
Budget and Law on the judicial budget 2010) the 2026 annual budget allocated was equivalent to 0.28% of 
GDP. For the Public Prosecutor's Office, the budget expressed as a percentage of the total budget is 0.21%, 
instead  of  the  legally  envisaged  0.4%.  Annual  Implementation  Report  of  the  Strategy  for  the  Judicial 
Reform. 

12   Country  visit  North  Macedonia,  Judicial  Council,  Public  Prosecutor’s  Office,  Association  of  Judges, 
Association  of  Public  Prosecutors.  [See  section  above  on  the  “allocation  of  financial  resources”]. 
Legislation  on  the  judicial  and  prosecutorial  services  is  in  parliamentary  procedure,  prescribing  that  the 
procedure for recruitment of the staff will not be dependent on the consent of the Ministry of Finance. The 
Ministry of Finance  would only be notified of the recruitment plans prepared by the Judicial Council and 
Public Prosecutorial Office respectfully. Government of North Macedonia (2026a). 

13   Government of North Macedonia (2026), p. 13. 
14   MKD.MK (2026) Statement of the Association of Public Prosecutors. 
15   IPA II Project “EU Support for Rule of Law” (2026). 
16   Constitutional Court (2026). 
17   2025 Rule of Law Report, North Macedonia, p. 3. 
18   The  procedure  prescribes  that  the  Council  of  Public  Prosecutors  provides  a  non-binding  opinion  on  the 
dismissal  request  from  the  government,  before  it  can  be  submitted  for  a  vote  to  the  Parliament.  Country 
visit North Macedonia, Council of Public Prosecutors. 

19   Blueprint  Group  for  Judicial  Reform  (2025)  European  standards  call  for  clarity  on  the  conditions  for  the 
pre-term dismissal of the Prosecutor General, including an ex-ante opinion of an expert body as to whether 
there  are  sufficient  grounds  for  dismissal,  and  a  fair  hearing  of  the  Prosecutor  General  in  dismissal 

3 

 
 
legal  criteria,  was  elected  on  18  March,  ahead  of  the  intended  adoption  of  a  new  Law  on 
Public Prosecutor’s Office. 

The  Government  proposed  amendments  to  the  Law  on  the  Public  Prosecutor’s  Office 
and  the  Parliament  adopted  new  amendments  on  the  Law  on  the  Council  of  Public 
Prosecutors to strengthen the autonomy of the prosecution service, but further revisions 
are needed. Following the Venice Commission opinion of October 202520, the Government 
proposed  amendments  on  the  Law  on  the  Public  Prosecutor’s  Office  and  the  Parliament 
adopted  a  new  Law  on  the  Council  of  Public  Prosecutors  on  7  May.  The  draft  law  on  the 
Public  Prosecutor’s  Office  is  yet  to  be  brought  in  line  with  the  recommendations  of  the 
Venice  Commission  to  further  specify  the  grounds  for  dismissal  of  the  Prosecutor  General 
and  to  introduce  qualified  majority  voting  in  Parliament  both  for  the  appointment  and 
dismissal  of  the  Prosecutor  General,  which  requires  amendments  to  the  Constitution.  The 
amendments  to  the  Law  on  the  Council  of  Public  Prosecutors  do  not  implement  yet  the 
recommendations  of  the  Venice  Commission  to  ensure  sufficient  pluralism  in  the  selection 
process of the lay members21. The authorities have announced that they intend to revise these 
laws further to comply with the outstanding recommendations. 

Parliament  adopted  a  new  Law  on  the  Judicial  Council  with  a  view  to  align  with 
European standards. The law adopted on 29 December 2025 improved the selection process 
of  judges  and  disciplinary  procedures  in  terms  of  transparency  and  clarity.  The  Law  now 
requires each voting member of the Council to provide an oral justification for each candidate 
in  the  process  of  electing  judges.  Furthermore,  the  Council's  decision  regarding  election  or 
non-election  must  be  well-reasoned,  individualised  and  based  on  comparable  criteria22. 
Furthermore, the selection process of the non-judge members of the Council in Parliament, in 
line with the recommendations of the Venice Commission and the peer review mission from 
September 2023 to ensure pluralism were  implemented, following a new revision of the Law 
on 11 June23. In addition, the revised law details grounds for the dismissal of the President or 
Deputy  President  from  their  positions  while  remaining  members  of  the  Council24.  The 
authorities committed to revise the Law on Courts, notably to clarify the disciplinary offences 
that would lead to a judge's dismissal25. 

proceedings.  Venice  Commission  (2010),  paras.  39-40.  The  current  grounds  for  a  serious  disciplinary 
violation,  which  can  lead  to  the  dismissal  of  the  Chief  Prosecutor,  include unclear  and broad definitions, 
such as ‘improper behaviour that damage the reputation of the public prosecution office’. 

20   Venice Commission opinion (October 2025). 
21   Venice Commission opinion (October 2025), paras 18 f., 39 ff. and 43. 
22   Council members must vote individually on every candidate from the ranked list. The candidate elected as 
judge  must  receive  the  highest  number  of  votes,  with  a  minimum  of  eight  votes  from  the  total  voting 
Council members. In cases where two or more candidates receive an equal number of votes, the candidate 
placed higher on the ranked list will be elected. If candidates have both an equal number of votes and the 
same ranking score, the voting process will be repeated until one candidate achieves a majority. Law on the 
Judicial Council. 

23   In terms of clarity, the law defines the terminology “distinguished lawyer” in clearer terms and established 
a  public selection procedure. However, it does not include a  scoring of the candidates by an independent 
expert panel as recommended by the EU Peer Review Mission or a qualified majority vote in Parliament as 
recommended by the Venice Commission (2014), para 67 and Venice Commission (2015), para. 63. 

24   Venice Commission Opinion (June 2025), para. 30. 
25   Government of North Macedonia (2026a). 

4 

 
 
Quality  

The shortage of staff in the judiciary has worsened with no new candidates for judges 
and  prosecutors  undergoing  initial  training  and  insufficient  funding  for  supporting 
staff.  Severe  shortage  of  staff  is  considered  among  the  most  critical  problems  for  the 
judiciary26.  In  2025,  97  graduates  from  the  Academy  for  Judges  and  Public  Prosecutors’ 
previous recruitment process, belonging to the eighth graduating class, were recruited to the 
Basic Courts, and to the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Offices. The lack of implementation of the 
human resource strategies for the Courts and the Public Prosecutor’s Office, adopted for the 
period 2020-2026, continue to pose significant challenges27. The 2015 Systematisation of the 
Judicial Council sets out 636 judicial posts, while by the end of October 2025, only 432 of 
these  positions  were  filled28.  Furthermore,  the  general  shortage  of  support  staff  amounts  to 
63%  according  to  the  2015  judicial  systematisation29.  During  its  session  on  25  December 
2025,  the  Management  Board  of  the  Academy  decided  to  cancel  the  admission  process  for 
the 130 candidates of the ninth generation, due to insufficient financial resources provided by 
the Ministry of Finance to support the recruitment and training of new candidates as well as 
the changes in the examination conditions due to amendments to the law30. In this context, a 
new  draft  Law  was  prepared,  passed  the  process  of  public  consultation  and  now  is  in 
governmental procedure  31, however, since there is  currently no training of new judges and 
prosecutors, no new judicial candidates will be available before 202832.  

Despite  some  initiatives  to  improve  digitalisation  in  the  judiciary,  challenges  remain. 
The  automated  court  case  management  information  system  (ACCMIS)  and  digital 
infrastructure for the judiciary are outdated and require updates or replacement in  line with 
changes  in  procedural  laws  and  with  the  new  measures  for  complex  cases33.  A  key 
advancement  in  the  digitalisation  efforts  was  the  digital  interconnection  between  the 
Administrative Court, the Higher Administrative Court and other public bodies, enabling fast 
and secure electronic exchange of data and documents, improving coordination and reducing 
costs. According to the authorities, the prosecution service’s new Case Management and Case 

26   IPA II Project “EU Support for Rule of Law” (2026). 
27   The targets and timelines set out in the human resource strategies for the Courts and the Public Prosecutor’s 
Office  have  not  been  met.  Statistical  data  indicates  that  the  gap  between  the  projected  number  of  judges 
according to the current systematisation and the actual number is widening over time,  IPA II Project “EU 
Support for Rule of Law” (2026a) Report on the Implementation of the Human Resources Strategy for the 
Judiciary in North Macedonia” and “Roadmap for the Implementation of the Human Resources Strategy 
for the Judiciary.” 

28   Ibidem.  This  result  in  a  shortfall  of  32%  of  judges  based  on  the  2015  Systematisation.  Additionally,  84 
judges would reach the retirement age by the end of 2028. Feedback from courts to the Judicial Council in 
October 2025 suggested that the total number of judicial posts should be 589. 

29   In several courts it was noted that in extreme cases, judges themselves are forced to perform clerical tasks, 
and essential court services are only maintained by relying on donors. IPA II Project “EU Support for Rule 
of Law” (2026). 

30   Board of Directors of the Academy for Judges and Public Prosecutors (2025). See also 2024 Rule of Law 

Report on North Macedonia, pp. 9, 10. 

31   Government of North Macedonia (2026a). The draft Law keeps the Academy as a sole entry point for the 
judges  and  public  prosecutors  and  maintains  the  duration  of  initial  training  at  two  years.  The  draft  Law 
foresees the organisation of annual admissions to the Academy, determined by staffing needs identified by 
the Judicial Council and the Council of Public Prosecutors. 

32   Country  visit  North  Macedonia.  In  January  the  dissatisfied  candidates  challenged  the  Decision  of  the 

Managing Board with the Administrative Court. 

33   Ibidem. The system is currently not able to deliver adequate and relevant information needed for staffing, 
workload assessment, analysis of case complexity levels, and other judicial management data essential for 
making effective decisions to optimise resource use. 

5 

 
 
Tracking  System,  launched  in  2025,  is  to  be  fully  operational  by  202834.  The  Ministry  of 
Justice  published  findings  from  inspections  in  15  courts  on  the  functioning  of  ACCMIS, 
concluding  that  all  cases  are  registered  and  processed  exclusively  through  ACCMIS, 
including electronic assignment and reassignment, and that no manual distribution outside the 
system was observed, proving consistent application of procedural rules35. 

Efficiency 

Overall,  the  efficiency  of  the  justice  system  continued  to  decline,  as  the  duration  of 
proceedings increased in almost all case categories, with the exception of criminal cases. 
While the clearance rate for first instance administrative cases in 2024 remained above 100%, 
the situation continued to deteriorate for the second instance administrative cases, where the 
disposition time increased to 502 days in 2024 (up from 84 days in 2021) and the clearance 
rate fell to 72%, despite an 18% decrease in incoming cases between 2023 and 2024. In first 
instance  civil  and  commercial  litigious  cases,  the  clearance  rate  was  94%  in  2024  (93%  in 
2023).  Performance  also  deteriorated  for  second  instance  civil  and  commercial  litigious 
cases: in 2024 the clearance rate was 84%, (86% in 2023) and the disposition time increased 
to 346 days (a 34% rise compared to 2023). By contrast, performance increased for criminal 
cases in 2024: in second instance total criminal law cases, the clearance rate was 108%, (98% 
in 2023) and disposition time fell to 102 days (down 32% from 2023), while in first instance 
total criminal law cases, the clearance rate rose to 104%, (88% in 2023), and disposition time 
decreased to 212 days (down 5% from 2023)36. 

II. 

ANTI-CORRUPTION FRAMEWORK 

The perception among experts, citizens and businesses is that the level of corruption in 
the  public  sector  is  high.  In  the  2025  Corruption  Perceptions  Index  by  Transparency 
International, North Macedonia scores 40/100 and ranks 84th globally37. This perception has 
improved over the past  five years38. The 2026 Special Eurobarometer on Corruption shows 
that 92% of respondents consider corruption widespread in their country (EU average 71%) 
and  35%  of  respondents  feel  personally  affected  by  corruption  in  their  daily  lives  (EU 
average  30%).  As  regards  businesses,  91%  of  companies  consider  that  corruption  is 
widespread  (EU  average  65%)  and  60%  consider  that  corruption  is  a  problem  when  doing 
business  (EU  average  37%).  Furthermore,  32%  of  respondents  find  that  there  are  enough 
successful prosecutions to deter people from corrupt practices (EU average 38%), while 22% 
of  companies  believe  that  people  and  businesses  caught  for  bribing  a  senior  official  are 
appropriately punished (EU average 31%)39. 

 A  new  National  Strategy  for  the  Prevention  of  Corruption  and  Conflict  of  Interest  is 
envisaged to be adopted, while the implementation of the 2021-2025 Strategy continued 

34   Government  of  North  Macedonia  (2026),  p.  12.  As  of  1  January  2026,  a  new  register  was  introduced  to 
randomly  assign  complex  and  organised  crime  cases  to  prosecutors,  ensuring  balanced  and  fair  case 
distribution within the Specialised Department for Combating Organised Crime and Corruption at the Basic 
Criminal Court in Skopje. 

35   Government of North Macedonia (2026), p. 20. 
36   CEPEJ (2025), pp. 15-20. 
37   The level of perceived corruption is categorised as follows: low (above 79); relatively low (between 79-60), 

relatively high (between 59-50), high (below 50). 

38   In 2020 the score was 35, while, in 2025, the score is 40. The score significantly increases/decreases when 
it  changes  more  than  five  points;  improves/deteriorates  (changes  between  4-5 points); has  been  relatively 
stable (changes from 1-3 points) in the last five years. 

39   Data from Special Eurobarometer 573 (2026) and Flash Eurobarometer 582 (2026). 

6 

 
 
to be low overall. The State Commission for Prevention of Corruption (SCPC) reported in its 
annual report of 202640 on the National Strategy that, out of 137 activities planned for 2025, 
only 31 activities (23%) have been fully implemented, 46 activities (33%) are in the process 
of  implementation,  while  60  (44%)  have  not  yet  been  implemented.  Implementation  of  the 
strategy continued to be slow, indicating an overall lack of commitment and ownership across 
institutions.  The  SCPC  identified  limited  human  and  financial  resources,  insufficient 
accountability  and  weak  interinstitutional  coordination  as  key  reasons  for  the  limited 
implementation41.  The  SCPC  prepared  a  report  on  the  implementation  of  the  National 
Strategy  for  the  period  2021-2025  and  submitted  it  to  the  Parliament.  The  new  2026–2030 
Anti-Corruption  Strategy42,  planned  to  be  adopted  by  the  Parliament  was  drafted  with  the 
involvement  of  CSOs,  demonstrating  transparency  and  inclusiveness  of  the  process43.  The 
new Strategy identifies two horizontal priority  areas  – public procurement  and oversight  of 
law implementation from an anti-corruption perspective – and narrows its scope from 13 to 5 
key  sectors:  justice,  health,  transport  and  infrastructure,  urban  and  spatial  planning,  and 
environment, energy and natural resources. This new approach would allow resources to be 
concentrated  where  corruption  risks  are  assessed  as  highest,  rather  than  dispersed  across 
multiple  areas.  Other  improvements,  compared  with  the  previous  Strategy,  include 
determining  the  budgetary  implications  for  implementing  each  activity  and  clearly  defining 
the responsibilities of state institutions for implementing the various measures44. 

Amendments to the Criminal Code were adopted, which  present several shortcomings 
compared  with  the  previous  framework,  while  a  comprehensive  reform  is  in 
preparation.  On  28  January  2026,  the  Parliament  adopted  amendments  to  the  Criminal 
Code.  As  a  result,  the  Constitutional  Court  terminated  its  initiative  to  review  the 
constitutionality  of  the  September  2023  Criminal  Code  changes.  The  adopted  amendments 
are  meant  as  a  temporary  solution  while  the  Ministry  of  Justice  prepares  in  parallel  a 
comprehensive  new  Criminal  Code45  and  a  new  Law  on  Criminal  Procedure46.  Crucial 
aspects  of  the  new  amendments  concern  the  offences  of  abuse  of  official  position  and 
authority47 and criminal association48, aiming to address the negative effects of the September 
2023 amendments49. Stakeholders highlight that compared to the previous legal framework, 

40   Annual Report on the Implementation of the National Strategy for Preventing Corruption and Conflict of 
Interest by the State Commission for Prevention of Corruption  (2026). In line with the legal requirements, 
the  2025  report  on  the  implementation  of  the  Strategy  was  submitted  to  Parliament  in  March  2026  and 
published on the website of the SCPC. 

41   2025 Enlargement Report, North Macedonia, p. 32. 
42   Given that the State Commission for Prevention of Corruption is a preventive body, the National Strategy 
for Prevention of Corruption and Conflict of Interest contains only preventive measures. Repressive policies 
and measures fall within the remit of other institutions that form the repressive part of the anti-corruption 
institutional framework, such as the Public Prosecution, the Ministry of Interior and other law-enforcement 
bodies. 

43   2025 Rule of Law Report, North Macedonia, pp. 8-9. The lessons learned following the implementation of 

Strategy for 2021-2025 were considered for the drafting a new Strategy for 2026-2030. 

44   Government of North Macedonia (2026), p. 29. 
45   Government  of  North  Macedonia  (2026),  p.  36.  The  stated  goal  is  to  create  a  new,  modern  and  codified 

Criminal Code, fully incorporating all relevant international standards and instruments. 

46   Government  of  North  Macedonia  (2026),  p.  37:  Particular  attention  is  given  to  provisions  concerning 
confiscation  and  freezing  of  assets,  electronic  evidence,  financial  investigations,  special  investigative 
measures, detention, main hearings, appellate procedures and extraordinary legal remedies. 

47   Article 353 of the Criminal Code. 
48   Article 394 of the Criminal Code. 
49   2024  Rule  of  Law  Report,  North  Macedonia,  p.  9.  Several  cases  had  to  be  terminated  at  investigation  or 
court phase, either because they became time-barred due to the reduction of statutory limitations, or because 
the specific offences had been removed from the Criminal Code. 

7 

 
 
the amendments restrict the application of the offence of abuse of official position to certain 
situations  which  are  extremely  rare  in  practice,  resulting  in  the  decriminalisation  of  other 
situations and creating legal uncertainty50.In addition, compared with the pre‑2023 version of 
the Criminal Code, the maximum penalties for more serious forms of the offence are reduced, 
which  in  turn  shortens  the  statutory  limitation  periods  and  leaves  less  time  for  the 
investigation and prosecution of complex corruption cases51. 

Despite  recent  efforts  to  investigate  and  prosecute  corruption,  delays  in  court 
proceedings, infrequent final convictions and limited resources continue to impede the 
development of a strong track record of high-level corruption cases. The track record in 
the  fight  against  corruption,  notably  for  high-level  cases,  remained  stable.  During  the 
reporting  period,  the  prosecution  launched  several  investigations  against  both  current  and 
former  high-ranking  officials,  resulting  in  indictments  and  ongoing  trials.  However,  the 
inadequate  legislative  framework,  notably  the  2023  Criminal  Code,  insufficient  human  and 
financial resources, together with delays in court proceedings, hindered the development of a 
solid track record of anti-corruption cases. High-profile corruption cases rarely lead to final 
convictions  which  further  contributes  to  a  sense  of  impunity52.  Despite  initiatives  in  some 
courts  to  improve  trial  management  and  reduce  procedural  delays,  and  positive  examples 
from  some  prosecution  services  in  improving  indictments,  the  tangible  results  remain 
limited53.  The  efficiency  of  the  Public  Prosecutor's  Office  (PPO)  and  of  the  Public 
Prosecutor’s Office for Prosecuting Organised Crime and Corruption (OCCPPO) in fighting 
corruption  continue  to  be  affected  by  the  growing  caseload  combined  with  an  insufficient 
number  of  public  prosecutors,  outdated  technical  equipment  and  insufficient  financial 
resources54. 

The State Commission for Prevention of Corruption took steps to rebuild public trust in 
the institution, while the Law on the Prevention of Corruption and Conflict of Interest 
is  currently  under  revision.  In  July  2025,  the  President  of  the  State  Commission  for 
Prevention  of  Corruption  (SCPC)  resigned  after  being  indicted  and  one  of  the  SCPC 
Commissioners resigned amid suspicions of a conflict of interest55. These facts brought into 
question  the  credibility  of  the  institution56.  On  3  December,  the  Parliament  elected  a  new 
President  of  the  SCPC,  in  a  procedure  described  by  stakeholders  as  transparent  and  merit 
based57. Furthermore, the draft Law on the Prevention of Corruption and Conflict of Interest 
has  been  revised,  with  the  aim  to  strengthen  the  level  of  penalties,  in  line  with  GRECO’s 
recommendations,  and  is  currently  undergoing  inter‑service  consultation  within  the 
Government58. As for its activities, the SCPC continued to mainly focus on awareness raising 

50   Country  visit  North  Macedonia,  civil  society  organisations.  See,  public  statement  by  Platform  of  Civil 
Society Organizations for Combating Corruption and the Blueprint Group for Judicial Reform (2025). 

51   Country visit North Macedonia, Public Prosecution Office for Organised Crime and Corruption. 
52   2026 Enlargement Report, North Macedonia, p. 31. 
53   OSCE Trial Monitoring project (2025), p. 34. The analysis of the indictments showed some improvement, 
particularly  in  the  more  frequent  identification  of  assets  for  the  purposes  of  confiscation  and/or 
compensation for damage. 

54   Government  of  North  Macedonia  (2026),  p.  38.  Instead  of  the  18  public  prosecutors  stipulated  by  the 
Council  of  Public  Prosecutors’  Decision  No.  02-144/4  of  19  July  2023,  there  are  currently  13  public 
prosecutors, leaving 5 public prosecutor positions vacant. 

55   Following the indictment for disclosing official secrets and falsifying an examination process to obtain her 

security certificate. The case is currently in trial  
56   Country visit North Macedonia, meeting with CSOs. 
57   Country visit North Macedonia, meeting with CSOs. 
58   Government of North Macedonia (2026); (2026a). According to the authorities, in May 2026 the Ministry 
of  Justice  integrated  into  the  draft  Law  suggestions  from  the  Council  for  Cooperation  between  the 

8 

 
 
campaigns, oversight of election financing, the verification of asset declarations and integrity, 
and  was  less  active  in  detecting  and  reporting  alleged  instances  of  corruption59,  and  in 
addressing  politically  sensitive  cases60.  Challenges  persist  regarding  sufficient  budget 
allocation61,  the  availability  of  specialised  staff  with  investigative  experience,  and  the 
interoperability of data management systems, all of which hinder the thorough verification of 
asset declarations62 and contributes to a growing backlog of cases. In the reporting period, a 
total  of  4  300  declarations  of  assets  and  interests  were  submitted,  compared  with  3  620  in 
2024. The number of systematic asset verifications of public officials increased to 42 in 2025, 
compared  with  14  in  202463.  Benefiting  from  EU  funding,  improvements  continued  in  the 
software solutions for the activity of the institution64. 

The  number  of  registered  lobbyists  in  the  transparency  register  remains  low  and  a 
reform  of  the  lobbying  legislation  is  planned.  The  Ministry  of  Justice  initiated,  in  June 
2026, the process for amending the Law on Lobbying with a view to aligning it with relevant 
international standards65. As of June 2026, there were only one lobbyist and three lobbying 
organisations registered 66. The limited number of registered lobbying organisations indicate 
low  levels  of  transparent  lobbying  and  point  to  shortcomings  in  incentives  to  register  and 
effective enforcement67. 

The  effective  oversight  of  campaigns  and  political  party  financing  continues  to  be 
affected by inadequate legislation and a lack of resources in the State Commission for 
Prevention  of  Corruption.  The  proposal  made  in  June  2025  by  the  Ministry  of  Justice  to 
amend  the  Electoral  Code  did  not  address  significant  aspects  needed  to  ensure  genuine 
enforcement  of  anti-corruption  rules  in  elections.  This  is  notably  the  case  in  relation  to 
improving  campaign  financing  oversight  and  monitoring  of  misuse  of  public  resources  in 
election campaigns, including limiting public spending and establishing clear mechanisms for 
dividing  state  budget  for  paid  campaign  advertising,  as  recommended  by  OSCE  Office  for 
Democratic  Institutions  and  Human  Rights  (ODIHR)68.  Concerns  were  raised,  notably  by 

Government  and  the  Civil  Society.  GRECO  (2025).  Recommendations  17  to  23.  5th  Evaluation  Round, 
preventing  corruption  and  promoting  integrity  in  central  governments  (top  executive  functions)  and  law 
enforcement agencies. 

59   Government  of  North  Macedonia  (2026),  p.  45.  In  2025,  the  SCPC  initiated  a  total  of  462  cases  in  the 
prevention of corruption area, of which 7 cases were initiated on its own initiative (1.5% of total initiated 
cases), in the areas of employment, health, disposal of official funds, and 455 cases based on a submitted 
report. 

60   2025 Enlargement Report, North Macedonia, p. 32. 
61   Government  of  North  Macedonia  (2026),  pp.  39-40.  In  the  reporting  period,  March-December  2025,  no 
financial  resources  have  been  provided  in  the  institution's  budget  for  the  implementation  of  the  Annual 
employment plan for 2025. In addition, the Government reported that the financial and human capacities of 
the institution are a challenge in building and improving anti-corruption mechanism in the country. 

62   Country visit North Macedonia, civil society organisations: The information disclosed in asset declarations 
and conflict of interest statements is currently limited to family members living in the same household. This 
scope should be expanded to include a wider circle of close persons, to better reduce the risk of corruption. 

63   Government of North Macedonia (2026), p. 40. 
64   An  EU  project  was  launched  for  upgrading  the  Electronic  System  for  Filing  a  Declaration  of  Assets  and 

Interests. 

65   This process is expected to draw on technical assistance provided through the “EU Support for the Rule of 

Law” project. 

66  Government of North Macedonia (2026a). 
67   Country  visit  North  Macedonia.  SCPC  announced  the  organisation  of  a  dedicated  lobbying  awareness 

campaign in 2026. 

68   The Ministry of Justice completed and submitted to ODIHR draft amendments to the Electoral Code (June 
2025). ODIHR’s legal opinion provides both an assessment on the draft amendments submitted by the MoJ 
and a summary of all outstanding ODIHR’s recommendations (August 2025). 

9 

 
 
technical  expertise  and 

ODIHR and the SCPC on the oversight capacity of the SCPC as regards adequate resources, 
the  necessary 
to 
inconsistencies in the legal framework69. The working group charged with the revision of the 
electoral  legislation,  composed  by  representatives  across  the  political  spectrum  and  chaired 
by  the  Minister  of  Justice,  had  its  constitutive  session  on  9  March  202670.  Furthermore, 
according to the State Audit Office’s 2026 annual work programme, the institution plans to 
carry out  166 regularity audits in  the election campaign for the 2025 local  elections, which 
are yet to be published. 

the  necessary  enforcement  powers  due 

Whistleblower  protection  remains  insufficient  as  the  revision  of  the  Whistleblowers 
Protection Law has not advanced. Although the process of consulting and revising the Law 
on the Protection of Whistleblowers with a view to aligning it with the EU  acquis began in 
December 2023, and the draft law completed the stage of inter‑agency consultation within the 
Government  in  March  2026,  there  is  no  clear  timetable  for  adoption  by  the  Parliament. 
Stakeholders note that the low number of reports from whistleblowers is linked to a lack of 
to  whistleblowers  and  effective  anti‑retaliation 
sufficient  protection  and  support 
mechanisms71. 

Corruption  in  public  procurement  and  healthcare  continue  to  be  identified  as  risk 
areas.  The  public  procurement  system  remains  a  high-risk  area  for  corruption.  The 
competition  in  public  procurement  is  perceived  as  limited,  with  incomplete  anticorruption 
safeguards throughout the procurement cycle72. Public healthcare continues to be susceptible 
to widespread petty corruption7374. 

III.  MEDIA PLURALISM AND MEDIA FREEDOM 

Appointments  of  the  new  members  of  the  Council  of  the  Agency  for  Audio  and 
Audiovisual  Media  Services  were  made  while  concerns  regarding  the  financial 
independence  of  the  Agency  persists.  On  24  June  2025,  the  Parliament  appointed  the 
members  of  the  Council  of  the  Agency  for  Audio  and  Audiovisual  Media  Services. 
Stakeholders raised concerns about the selection process, particularly its lack of transparency 
and  respect  of  eligibility  criteria75.  On  22  August  2025,  the  Council  adopted  Rules  of 
Procedure defining the Agency’s governance and working methods, including appointments 
and  dismissals,  adoption  of  acts  under  the  Law  on  Audio  and  Audiovisual  Media  Services 
(LAAVMS),  licensing  and  supervision  of  media  services,  and  register  maintenance.  The 
Agency’s Director was appointed in December for a five-year term76.. The Council held its 
constitutive  session  on  3  July  2025,  electing  a  Chairperson  and  a  Deputy  Chairperson.  In 

69   ODIHR (2026) p. 36; SCPC (2026): Report on Established Conditions in the Financing of the Election 

Campaign for the Election of Mayors and Municipal Council Members. 

70   According  to  the  Government  the  working  group  has  met  several  times,  reviewing  OSCE/ODIHR 
recommendations  and  discussing  input  from  institutions  and  civil  society.  Ministry  of  Justice  (2026); 
(2026a). Government of North Macedonia (2026a) 

71   Statement of the Anti-Corruption Civil Society Organisations Platform of 15 December 2025.  
72   MCIC and SELDI (2025) Corruption assessment report on North Macedonia 2025. The new draft Strategy 

identifies the public procurement as priority area. 

73   Transparency International, (2026). 
74   In 2025, judges are perceived as the most corrupt profession (79%), followed closely by public prosecutors 
(74.6%)  and  police  officers  (69.8%).  Political  actors  also  rank  very  high  in  perceived  corruption,  with 
leaders of political parties and coalitions (66.3%) and Members of Parliament (64.9%) both well above the 
50% mark. SELDI report of 12 February 2026. 

75   2025 Enlargement Report, North Macedonia, p. 38; 2025 Rule of Law Report, North Macedonia, p. 13. 
76   Government of North Macedonia (2026), p. 54. 

10 

 
 
2025,  as  in  previous  years,  despite  statutory  provisions  guaranteeing  its  funding77,  the 
Government continued to provide incomplete financing to the Agency, thereby undermining 
its planning and risking jeopardising its financial and institutional independence. The Media 
Pluralism  Monitor (MPM) 2026 considers the independence and  effectiveness  of the media 
regulator to be an area of low risk, however, more efforts are needed especially with respect 
to  the  implementation  of  the  procedures  for  the  appointments  of  members  of  the  media 
regulator 78. 

Despite the positive role played by the Council of Media Ethics, the journalistic Code of 
Ethics  is  not  systematically  respected.  The  Council  of  Media  Ethics  contributes  to 
improving media ethics and responsible journalism, despite the limited effectiveness of self-
regulation,  which  is  often  undermined  by  political  and  business  influence,  particularly  in 
online portals79. While the Council still faces long-term financial challenges, it continues to 
provide education and raise awareness on the importance of media self-regulation80. A review 
of  complaints  received  in  2025  shows  an  increase,  compared  with  the  previous  year,  in 
complaints  alleging  breaches  of  the  Code  of  Journalists’  principle  of  publishing  accurate, 
verified  information  from  at  least  two  independent  sources.  In  total,  244  complaints  were 
received in 2025 – the highest number recorded in a single year81. 

While  efforts  are  ongoing  to  modernise  and  improve  professional  standards  of  the 
Public Service  Broadcaster,  challenges  persist  due  to  limited  administrative  autonomy 
and irregular funding. The Parliament appointed a new Programme Council for the public 
broadcaster  in  June  202582,  resolving  a  delay  pending  since  December  2018.  In  2025, 
following  a  rebalancing  of  the  State  Budget,  the  funds  allocated  to  Macedonian  Radio  and 
Television (MRT) were reduced by EUR 1 300 00083. In the 2026 State Budget, the allocation 
for the public service broadcaster is also EUR 123 600 below the amount prescribed by the 
statutory  provisions  on  funding84.  The  limited  administrative  autonomy  of  the  Public 
Broadcaster remains a barrier to recruiting new staff85. To address this, the MRT Programme 
Council  and  other  stakeholders  are  requesting  a  specific  law  on  Macedonian  Radio  and 
Television. According to MRT, the best solution would be to adopt this separate law on the 
public service broadcaster, to clearly define its establishment and operation, especially as the 
public  service  broadcaster  is  currently  undergoing  a  reform  process,  transitioning  from  a 
public broadcasting service to  a public media service86.  When it comes to the media sector 

77   The Law on audio and audiovisual media services specifies that the amount of public funding for the public 
service  broadcaster,  the  Agency  for  Audio  and  Audiovisual  Media  Services  and  the  public  broadcasting 
enterprise is to represent 1% of the realised tax revenues determined in the last adopted final account of the 
Budget of North Macedonia. 

78   Media Pluralism Monitor (2026), p.13. 
79   Government of North Macedonia (2026), p. 54.  
80  Country visit, North Macedonia, Council of Media Ethics. 
81  
82   The Programming Council of MRT protects the public's interests by ensuring programming content remains 

ibidem. 

free from political, commercial, and other influences and ideologies, and represents diverse societal views. 

83   Government of North Macedonia (2026), p. 57. 
84   Government  of  North  Macedonia  (2026),  p.  57.  The  Ministry  of  Digital  Transformation  paid  the  full 
amount  stipulated  by  law  for  2024.  In  addition,  funds  for  2023  were  paid  retroactively,  in  instalments, 
through an out-of-court settlement, as the legally prescribed amount had not been fully allocated in previous 
years. The funds envisaged for 2025 will also be disbursed. 

85   2025 Enlargement Report, North Macedonia, p. 38. 
86    Country visit, North Macedonia, Public Service Broadcaster. 

11 

 
 
overall, the MPM 2026 points to a medium-high risk, while the independence of the public 
service media falls within the category of medium-low risk87. 

Challenges still persist regarding transparency of digital media ownership. The revised 
Law on Media88 extended its scope to online media and created a legal basis for establishing 
an electronic Register of Online Media/Internet Portals under the supervision of the Agency 
for  Audio  and  Audiovisual  Media  Services.  Registration  is  voluntary  and  includes 
information  on  ownership  and  ultimate  beneficial  owners  of  online  media  that  meet  the 
criteria laid down in the Law on Media and the relevant secondary legislation 89. The Agency 
also  maintains  separate  registers  of  the  ownership  structures  of  television  and  radio 
broadcasters,  which  are  regularly  updated  to  ensure  transparency  and  accessibility90.  In 
addition  to  these  regulatory  registers,  the  Council  for  Media  Ethics  maintains  a  separate 
voluntary  self-regulatory  registry  of  professional  online  media,  which  does  not  include  all 
digital  news  media  outlets.  According  to  the  authorities,  the  preparatory  work  for  the 
alignment with the European Media Freedom Act had started in December 202591. The MPM 
2026  points  to  a  medium-low  risk  regarding  the  transparency  of  media  ownership  and  to  a 
high  risk  for  the  plurality  of  media  providers92.  Journalists’  associations  and  media  experts 
continued  to  raise  concerns  about  the  legal  provisions  on  state-funded  advertising  and  the 
potential  for  misuse93.  Moreover,  there  have  been  no  changes  during  the  reporting  period 
regarding rules on media concentration.  

The  implementation  of  the  legal  framework  on  access  to  public  information  remains 
inconsistent and there are ongoing efforts to revise it. The inconsistent implementation of 
the Law on Free Access to  Information  has persisted, and several  obstacles to  the effective 
exercise  of  this  right  remain94.  Stakeholders  underlined  that  certain  public  institutions  are 
frequently  rejecting  requests  on  arbitrary  grounds95  or  excessively  delaying  the  release  of 
public  information96.  The  Agency  for  Protection  of  Free  Access  to  Public  Information 
identified “administrative silence”, the failure to  respond to  information requests within the 
legal  deadlines,  as  a  serious  and  systemic  obstacle  to  transparency  and  institutional 
accountability97. Since the expiry of the mandate of its Director in mid-December the Agency 
did  not  review  requests,  nor  replied  to  appeals  or  performed  monitoring  and  the  overall 
functioning of the institution  was hampered, until a new Director was  appointed mid-April, 

87   Media Pluralism Monitor (2026), p. 37. 
88   Official Journal No. 87/2025 of 29.04.2025. 
89   Country  visit,  North  Macedonia,  Agency  for  Audio  and  Audiovisual  Media  Services.  60  publishers  had 
registered in  2025.  The  Register  contains  data  on  ownership,  editors-in-chief,  company  details,  domain 
registration  and  staffing.  To  ensure  compliance,  the  Agency  adopted  the  Rulebook  on  the  format  and 
content of the application form. 

90   Ibidem.  In  line  with  the  standards  of  the  European  Media  Freedom  Act  (EMFA),  and  on  the  Agency’s 
initiative, five nationwide terrestrial television broadcasters have published on their website information on 
their ownership, editor-in-chief and advertising revenues from public bodies. 

91   Government of North Macedonia (2026), p. 53. With the support of the IPA project “EU Digital and Media 

Acquis Harmonisation and Digital Transformation Skills Development”. 

92   Media Pluralism Monitor (2026), p. 22, 23; 2025 Enlargement Report, North Macedonia, p. 38. 
93   Country visit North Macedonia. 
94   Country visit North Macedonia, meeting with civil society organisations. 
95   2025 Enlargement Report, North Macedonia, p. 38. 
96   Country visit North Macedonia, Association of Journalists notes that information holders often prolong and 

abuse the maximum legal deadline of 20 days. 

97   Government  of  North  Macedonia  (2026),  p.  92.  The  most  common  reason  for  complaints  was 
administrative silence, accounting for 187 complaints (74.8%). Most of these cases concerned information 
that public authorities were legally required to proactively publish on their websites, in line with the Law on 
Free Access to Public Information. 

12 

 
 
allowing  it  to  resume  work  on  a  backlog  of  complaints98.  Following  ratification  of  the 
Council  of  Europe  Convention  on  Access  to  Official  Documents99,  the  Law  on  Access  to 
Information  is  being  revised,  and  the  draft  is  currently  at  the  stage  of  inter‑agency 
consultation within the Government. According to the authorities, the draft amendments aim 
to  make access  to  information  more practical  by shortening  deadlines for handling requests 
and  strengthening  the  obligation  of  authorities  to  publish  information  proactively100.  The 
MPM  2026  confirms  that  while  the  legal  protection  of  the  right  to  information  carries  a 
medium-low  risk,  public  administration  is  not  sufficiently  responsive  in  giving  access  to 
information in practice101. 

Journalists  face  pressure  from  political  actors,  increased  online  violence  and  SLAPP 
threats,  while  their  working  conditions  have  not  improved.  Difficulties  in  journalists’ 
working conditions persist contributing to self-censorship and enabling media owners to exert 
influence  over  editorial  content102.  Implementation  of  legal  provisions  for  the  protection  of 
journalists  remains  ineffective,  particularly  in  cases  of  online  harassment  and  gender-based 
violence targeting female journalists. Stakeholders reported a rise in online smear campaigns, 
intimidation  and  threats103.  Since  the  2025  Rule  of  Law  Report,  three  alerts  have  been 
recorded  on  the  Council  of  Europe’s  Platform  to  promote  the  protection  of  journalism  and 
safety  of  journalists.  They  relate  to  attacks  on  journalists’  physical  safety  and  integrity,  as 
well  as  harassment  and  intimidation  through  the  destruction  of  private  property  and 
coordinated  online  abuse  targeting  women  journalists104.  The  Mapping  Media  Freedom 
platform has registered nine new alerts105. The absence of dedicated anti-SLAPP legislation, 
coupled with limited awareness of the issue among judges, lawyers and journalists, remains 
an obstacle to  effectively protecting journalists and other public critics from  SLAPPs106.  In 
2025,  there  was  one  case  related  to  SLAPP lawsuits  against  journalists  and  40  lawsuits  for 
insult  and  defamation  involving  journalists,  compared  to  15  cases  in  2024  signalling  a 
negative trend in the protection of journalistic freedom107. The MPM 2026 reports a medium-
low risk for journalistic profession, standards, and protection108. 

98   In  addition,  employees  have  received  no  salaries  since  December  2025.  Furthermore,  there  were  severe 
issues with access to electricity, and Internet. Country Visit North Macedonia, civil society organisations. 
Government of North Macedonia (2026a). 

99   The Council of Europe Convention on Access to Official Documents (CETS No. 205), also known as the 
Tromsø  Convention,  entered  into  force  on  1  March  2025.  A  revised  draft  Law  on  Free  Access  to  Public 
Information has been prepared and published for public consultation. The revisions aim to align the Law 
with the Council of Europe Convention on Access to Official Documents, notably to improve the efficiency 
of the procedure for free access to public information, as well as strengthen the responsibility of the holders 
of public information. Government of North Macedonia (2025), p. 8. 

100   Government of North Macedonia (2026), p. 33. Country visit North Macedonia, civil society organisations.  
101   Media Pluralism Monitor (2026), p. 16; 2025 Enlargement Report, North Macedonia, p. 32. 
102   2025  Enlargement  Report,  North  Macedonia,  pp.  38-39  Country  visit,  North  Macedonia,  Independent 
Union of Journalists and Media Workers; Association of Journalists of Macedonia. The difficulties include 
short-term or part-time contracts, lack of health and social insurance, unpaid overtime and low wages. 

103   Country visit, North Macedonia, Association of Journalists. 
104   Council  of  Europe (2026).  The  Government  of  North  Macedonia  responded  to  the  alerts,  underlining  the 
efforts made by the investigators and the  Basic Public Prosecutor's Office  for  efficient investigations and 
sanctioning of perpetrators. 

105   European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (2026). 
106   2025 Rule of Law Report, North Macedonia, p. 17. Certain existing provisions could provide some level of 
protection  in  such  cases.  The  2022  amendments  to  the  Law  on  Civil  Liability  for  Insult  and  Defamation 
significantly  reduced  the  potential  non-pecuniary  damages  imposed  on  media  outlets  and  journalists  in 
defamation lawsuits. 

107   Country visit, North Macedonia, Association of Journalists. 
108   Media Pluralism Monitor (2026), p. 16; 2025 Enlargement Report, North Macedonia, p. 36. 

13 

 
 
IV.  OTHER INSTITUTIONAL ISSUES RELATED TO CHECKS AND BALANCES 

The  Parliament  continued  implementing  its  Rules  of  Procedure  and  improved  its 
efficiency,  while  a  significant  number  of  laws  were  adopted  under  a  shortened 
legislative  procedure.  The  oversight  role  of  the  Parliament  was  reinforced  by  the 
organisation of monthly question-time sessions, with two-hour slots dedicated to queries from 
opposition  parties109.  In  2025,  the  Assembly  adopted  237  laws:  42%  under  the  regular 
procedure (100), 51% under the shortened procedure (121) mostly proposed by members of 
Parliament, and 7% as ratifications (16)110. There was a decrease of 30% in 2025 compared to 
2024 in the number of draft laws submitted by the Government to the Parliament under fast-
track  procedure,  while  members  of  Parliament  continued  to  frequently  propose  legislation 
under  this  accelerated  process.  On  15  June  the  Parliament  adopted  a  new  Code  of  Ethics 
designed  to  strengthen  the  integrity,  accountability  and  reputation  of  the  institution  111.  In 
August  2025,  the  Secretary-General  adopted  new  rules  on  internal  organisation  and  the 
systematisation  of  the  Parliamentary  Service  and  established  a  unit  to  assess  the  regulatory 
impact and implementation of legislative drafts submitted by members of Parliament112. 

Parliament  made  several  appointments  to  independent  institutions,  although  concerns 
remain  about  merit-based  selection  procedures.  The  Parliament  made  several  key 
appointments,  notably  the  Ombudsperson,  the  President  of  the  State  Commission  for 
Prevention of Corruption, members of the Commission for Prevention and Protection against 
Discrimination,  the  Council  of  the  Agency  for  Audio  and  Audiovisual  Media  Services,  the 
Public  Service  Broadcaster’s  Programme  Council,  members  of  the  Judicial  Council  and  of 
the Council of Public Prosecutors113. However, several challenges persist, notably as regards 
the  quality  of  selection  procedures  in  the  Parliamentary  Committee  on  Elections  and 
Appointments,  including  concerns  about  merit-based  selection,  slow  procedures,  and 
insufficient transparency114. 

Efforts were made to address shortcomings concerning evidence-based policy planning. 
The General Secretariat of the Government made efforts to ensure effective evidence-based 
policy  planning  and  coordination,  notably  by  setting-up  a  register  and  improving  quality 
control  of  all  national  strategies.  In  addition,  it  also  increased  its  overall  capacity115.  The 
methodology  for  conducting  regulatory  impact  assessments  was  improved,  extending  their 
use  to  laws  adopted  under  the  shortened  procedure116.  The  data  shared  by  the  Government 
indicates a modest improvement in  transparency and consultation  in the legislative process, 
with a small increase of the share of draft laws published on the Single National Electronic 

109 2025 Enlargement Report, North Macedonia, p. 21. 
110   Government of North Macedonia (2026), pp. 61-62. The Parliament adopted 17 laws under the “EU flag” 
procedure,  normally  reserved  for  the  alignment  with  EU  acquis:  15  under  the  regular  procedure  and  two 
under the shortened procedure. EU flag procedure was used consistently in line with the  rules, indicating 
the EU acquis that is being transposed in national law. 2025 Enlargement report, North Macedonia, p. 23. 

111  Government of North Macedonia (2026a). 
112   Government of North Macedonia (2026), p. 60. 
113   See the details in Pillars I & III. 
114   Country visit, North Macedonia, civil society organisations. 
115   SIGMA Report (2025); 2025 Enlargement Report, North Macedonia, p. 23. In December 2024, new Rules 
of  Procedure  of  the  government  were  adopted.  The  deadline  for publishing  draft  laws  and  accompanying 
RIAs  was  extended  from  20  to  30  days.  However,  the  quality  and  impact  of  public  consultation  remain 
weak. 

116   2025 Enlargement Report, North Macedonia, p. 23. 

14 

 
 
Register  of  Regulations  (ENER)  platform117  compared  to  2024.  However,  only  around  one 
third of draft laws subject to regulatory impact assessment are published on ENER, and civil 
society organisations  account  for 10% of submitted comments.  The potential  of ENER and 
other  mechanisms  for  inclusive,  evidence-based  policymaking  is  still  underused118. 
Furthermore, a new unit was established in August 2025 to carry out ex ante reviews of draft 
laws proposed by members of Parliament and ex post reviews of laws adopted over last year. 

Less  than  half  of  the  companies  surveyed  in  North  Macedonia  express  high  levels  of 
confidence  in  the  effectiveness  of  investment  protection.  32%  of  companies  are  very  or 
fairly  confident  that  investments  are  protected  by  law  and  courts,  a  figure  which  has 
decreased in  comparison with  2025119. The main reason  among  companies for their lack of 
confidence  is  the  concerns  about  the  quality,  efficiency  or  the  independence  of  the  justice 
system120. Further, 20% perceive the level of independence of the public procurement review 
body (State Commission for Public Procurement Appeals) as very or fairly good, a number 
which has significantly decreased in comparison with 2025 (37%)121, 20% perceive the level 
of  independence  of  the  national  competition  authority  (Commission  for  the  Protection  of 
Competition) as very or fairly good, a figure which has significantly decreased in comparison 
with 2025 (31%)122.  

On 1 January 2026, North Macedonia had 21 leading judgments of the European Court 
of  Human  Rights  pending  implementation,  an  increase  of  3  compared  to  the  previous 
year123.  At  that  time,  North  Macedonia’s  rate  of  leading  judgments  from  the  past  10  years 
that had been implemented was at 61% (compared to 65% in 2025; 39% remained pending), 
and the average time that the judgments had been pending implementation was 3 years and 9 
months  (compared  to  3  years  and  3  months  in  2025)124.  The  oldest  group  of  leading 
judgments,  pending  implementation  for  more  than  15  years,  concerns  violations  of  the 
applicants' right to liberty on account of the lack of concrete and sufficient grounds for their 
detention125. As regards the respect of payment deadlines, on 31 December 2025 there were 

117   The  Single  National  Electronic  Register  of  Regulations  (ENER)  is  the  main  tool  for  consultation  on 
legislative  proposals  prior  to  their  submission  in  Government  procedure,  with  a  deadline  of  30  days  for 
comments. 

118   Government of North Macedonia (2026), p. 67: According to the Draft Report on the consultation process 
in the preparation of draft laws, and on the  use  of the ENER and other mechanisms for cooperation with 
civil society organisations in 2025 out of a total of 133 draft laws determined by the Government in 2025, 
74 were subject to regulatory impact assessment. Of these, 27 draft laws (36.5%) were published on ENER, 
representing an increase of 2.5 percentage points compared with 2024 (34%). Stakeholders submitted a total 
of 199 comments, of which 20 (10.1%) came from civil society organisations. 

119   Flash Eurobarometer 582 (2026) and Flash Eurobarometer 555 (2025). 
120   Flash Eurobarometer 582 (2026) and Flash Eurobarometer 555 (2025). In 2026, only 15% and 7% of the 
surveyed investors respectively perceive  concerns about quality, efficiency or independence of justice the 
frequent changes in legislation or concerns about the quality of the law-making process as a reason for the 
lack of confidence in investment protection. 

121   Flash Eurobarometer 582 (2026) and Flash Eurobarometer 555 (2025). 
122   Flash Eurobarometer 582 (2026) and Flash Eurobarometer 555 (2025). 
123   For an explanation of the supervision process, see the website of the Council of Europe. 
124   All figures calculated by the European Implementation Network (EIN) and based on the number of cases 
that are considered pending at the annual cut-off date of 1 January 2026. EIN (2026), written input, p. 1. 
125   Judgment of the ECtHR, 28169/08, Vasilkoski and Others v. the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, 

pending implementation since 2011. 

15 

 
 
no cases awaiting confirmation of payments (the same as in 2024)126. On 17 June 2026, the 
number of leading judgments pending implementation had increased to 23127.  

The Constitutional Court continued to improve its capacity to  protect constitutionality 
and  legality.  The  number  of  decisions  in  which  the  Constitutional  Court  repeals  or  annuls 
laws and other regulations has increased in 2025, which, alongside a reduction in the number 
of  pending  cases  older  than  three  years,  indicate  an  improvement  in  the  efficiency  of  the 
Court’s  work.  Progress  has  been  noted  in  the  area  of  institutional  capacities,  in  particular 
through the preparation of a new organisational software system and an increase in staffing 
from 57% to 76% of the envisaged posts128. However, in some cases, the deadline set by the 
Constitutional  Court  to  amend  and/or  supplement  legislation  in  line  with  its  interpretative 
decisions,  was  not  respected  by  the  Parliament129.  In  his  annual  address  on  26  December 
2025,  the  President  of  the  Constitutional  Court  publicly  called  on  the  Judicial  Council  to 
propose a candidate for constitutional judge and on Parliament to elect two new constitutional 
judges130. The Parliament elected two new judges in March and April 2026. 

There  was  no  improvement  in  the  financial  and  human  resource  situation  of  the 
Ombudsperson’s  Office  or  the  Commission  for  Prevention  and  Protection  against 
Discrimination. The Parliament elected a new Ombudsperson on 23 January 2026, however, 
it did not elect the remaining 8 Deputy Ombudspersons for the regional offices and Skopje131. 
Furthermore,  Parliament  still  has  not  discussed  the  amendments  to  the  Law  on  the 
Ombudsperson’s Office, which are necessary to upgrade its current ‘B’ accreditation status in 
line with the Paris Principles132. During the reporting period, both the Ombudsperson’s Office 
and  the  Commission  for  the  Prevention  and  Protection  against  Discrimination  (CPPD) 
continued to  operate with insufficient  financial and human resources, directly limiting their 
capacity to  fully  implement  their legal  competencies133.  In the  case of the  Ombudsperson’s 
Office,  out  of  183  planned  positions,  only  81  are  currently  filled.  The  total  amount  of  the 
institutions’ budget increased by 7% from 2025 to 2026, however the approved amount for 
salaries and rent is still not sufficient,  according to the  Ombudsperson, for the needs of the 
Office134. For the CPPD, although 46 posts are authorised, only 17 (36%) are filled, and the 
budget  mainly  covers  salaries,  with  no  funds  for  development,  field  work,  or  technical 
upgrades135.  The  three  CSOs  elected  by  the  Parliament  to  take  part  in  the  Civil  Control 
Mechanism have not started their participation due to insufficient funding136. 

The  Government  continued  its  efforts  to  strengthen  cooperation  with  civil  society 
organisations,  while  challenges  related  to  funding  for  CSOs  remain.  Civil  society 
organisations continued to function within a ‘narrowed’137 environment according to Civicus. 

126   Council of Europe (2026), p. 163. 
127   Data according to the online database of the Council of Europe (HUDOC). 
128   Annual Implementation Report of the Strategy for the Judicial Reform (2026). 
129   Government of North Macedonia (2026), p. 62. See the details in Pillar II on Criminal Code. 
130   Government of North Macedonia (2026), p.63. 
131   2025 Enlargement report, North Macedonia, p. 34. There are 10 envisaged deputy Ombudspersons. 
132   Ibidem. The Ombudsperson’s Office assumes the function of the National Human Rights Institution. 
132   2025 Enlargement report, North Macedonia, p. 35. 
134   Country  visit,  North  Macedonia,  Ombudsperson’s  Office.  The  budget  increase  for  2026  is  due  for  the 
increase of the budget for the sub-programmes: national preventative mechanism, civil control mechanism, 
human trafficking and illegal migration, children and people with disabilities. 

135   Government of North Macedonia (2026), p. 63. 
136   Government of North Macedonia (2026), p. 64. 
137   CIVICUS (2026). Current score 69/100. Rating given on a five-category scale defined as: open, narrowed, 

obstructed, repressed and closed. 

16 

 
 
On 8 July 2025, the Government adopted the Strategy for Cooperation with and Development 
of  Civil  Society  for  2025–2028.  From  April  2025  to  January  2026,  the  Council  for 
Cooperation  between  the  Government  and  Civil  Society  held  eight  sessions  focusing  on 
improving  the  environment  for  civil  society,  legislative  reform,  and  monitoring  the 
implementation  of  Government’s  civil  society  Strategy.  Key  topics  included  challenges  in 
public  funding  and  financial  sustainability  of  CSOs,  use  of  the  ENER  system  for 
consultations,  review  of  draft  indicators  for  monitoring  the  Strategy,  and  improving 
communication  with  CSOs138.  On  25  September  2025,  the  Council  adopted  new  Rules  of 
Procedure and a Work Programme for 2025–2026. Following public calls, the Council also 
nominated  13  civil  society  representatives  to  various  governmental  advisory  and  working 
bodies139.  Civil  society  organisations  noted  that  consultations  with  the  Government  are 
sometimes  conducted  on  short  notice,  without  clear  agenda  and  largely  nominal140. 
Furthermore,  some  CSOs  working  on  sensitive  issues  have  reported  gender-based  hate 
speech,  including  threats  against  women  human  rights  defenders,  particularly  on  social 
media141. 

138   European Policy Institute, Quarterly Brief October–December 2025. 
139   Government of North Macedonia (2026), written input, p. 66. Including the National Development Council, 
the  Interdepartmental  Body  for  Coordination  of  Anti-Corruption  Activities,  the  Sectoral  Commission  for 
Arts, the Sectoral Working Group for Local and Regional Development, the Steering Committee of the EU-
funded project “Support to the System for Ensuring the Quality of Social Services”, and the Working Group 
for the Development of the Transparency Strategy 2026–2029. 

140   Country visit, North Macedonia, meeting with CSOs.  
141   2025 Enlargement report, North Macedonia, p. 40. 

17 

 
 
 
 
 
Annex I: List of sources in alphabetical order* 

* The list of contributions received in the context of the consultation for the 2026 Rule of Law report 
can 
https://commission.europa.eu/publications/2026-rule-law-report-targeted-
found 
stakeholder-consultation_en.  

be 

at 

Balkan  Insight  (2025),  North  Macedonia's  Servile  Judiciary  Must  Defend  Its  Independence, 
https://balkaninsight.com/2025/11/12/north-macedonias-servile-judiciary-must-defend-its-
independence/bi/ 

Board of Directors of the Academy for Judges and Public Prosecutors (2025), Decision to cancel the 
public  announcement  for  admission  of  130  students  to  initial  training  at  the  Academy,Одлука-на-
У.О-на-АСЈО-за-поништување-на-Јавен-оглас-за-прием-на-слушатели-во-почетна-обука.pdf 

Centre for Media Pluralism and Freedom (2026), Media Pluralism Monitor, Country report for North 
Macedonia 

CEPEJ (2025), Dashboard Western Balkans https://mycloud.coe.int/s/tcbk2b5L5qwqJqL 

CIVICUS (2026), North Macedonia, https://monitor.civicus.org/country/macedonia/ 

Constitutional  Court  (2026),  The  Constitutional  Court  has  repealed  the  Law  Amending  the  Law  on 
Judicial Salaries passed by Parliament in February 2026, https://ustavensud.mk/archives/38463 

Council  of  Europe  (2020),  Council  of  Europe  Convention  on  Access  to  Official  Documents  (CETS 
No. 205), https://www.coe.int/en/web/conventions/full-list?module=treaty-detail&treatynum=205 

Council of Europe (2026), HUDOC Database, https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/ 

Council of Europe (2026), Platform to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists, 
https://fom.coe.int/en/pays/detail/11709590?page=2#publication 

Council of Media Ethics (SEMM) (2025), Council of Media Ethics of Macedonia (CMEM) regarding 
journalistic 
https://semm.mk/polovina-od-prekrshuvanjata-na-kodeksot-vo-2025-za-
netochno-informiranje/ 

standards, 

European  Centre 
https://www.ecpmf.eu/monitor/mapping-media-freedom/ 

and  Media 

Press 

for 

Freedom 

(2026),  Monitor 

Platform, 

European  Commission 
https://commission.europa.eu/publications/2024-rule-law-report-communication-and-country-
chapters_en 

(2024),  2024  Rule  of  Law  Report  on  North  Macedonia, 

European  Commission 
https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/ede31053-efc6-4dd0-89ed-
c9224f7eeb70_en?filename=2025%20Rule%20of%20Law%20Report%20-
%20Country%20Chapter%20North-Macedonia.pdf 

2025  Rule 

(2025), 

of  Law  Report,  North  Macedonia, 

European  Commission  (2025),  Flash  Eurobarometer  555.  Perceived  independence  of  the  national 
justice systems in the EU among companies' report, https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/screen/home 

European Implementation Network (EIN) (2025), Written input, https://www.einnetwork.org 

European 
https://epi.org.mk/post/32855?lang=en 

Institute 

Policy 

(2025), 

Quarterly 

Brief 

October–December 

2025. 

Government of North Macedonia (2026), written input to the 2026 Rule of Law Report and the 20th 
meeting  of  the  Stabilisation  and  Association  Agreement  subcommittee  with  North  Macedonia  on 
Justice, Freedom and Security. 

Government  of  North  Macedonia  (2026a),  Additional  written  input  from  North  Macedonia  for  the 
2026 Rule of Law Report, factual comments to the draft chapter. 

18 

 
GRECO (2025), Addendum to the 2nd Compliance Report North Macedonia, Preventing corruption 
and  promoting  integrity  in  central  governments  (top  executive  functions)  and  law  enforcement 
agencies, 
https://rm.coe.int/grecorc5-2025-1-final-eng-add-to-the-2nd-compliance-report-north-
maced/1680b6a53c 

IPA  II  Project  “EU  Support  for  Rule  of  Law”  (2026).  Conference  on 
https://rolaw.mk/high-level-conference-on-strengthening-the-efficiency-and-independence-of-the-
judiciary/  

the 

judiciary, 

IPA II Project “EU Support for Rule of Law” (2026a),  Report on the Implementation of the Human 
Resources 
https://rolaw.mk/wp-
content/uploads/2026/02/FINAL-Report-on-the-Implementation-of-the-Human-Resources-Strategy-
for-the-Judiciary-in-North-Macedonia.pdf 

in  North  Macedonia, 

Judiciary 

Strategy 

the 

for 

IPA II Project “EU Support for Rule of Law” (2026b), Roadmap for the Implementation of the Human 
Resources Strategy for the Judiciary. 

Macedonian  Center for  International  Cooperation  (MCIC)  and  the  Southeast  Europe  Leadership for 
Development  and  Integrity  (SELDI)  network  (2025),  Corruption  assessment  report  on  North 
Macedonia 
https://seldi.net/wp-
content/uploads/2026/01/CAR_2025_Executive_Summary_ENG.pdf 

2025, 

Media  Information  Agency  (MIA)  (2025),  Open  letter  of  the  Judicial  Council,  Supreme  Court  and 
Judges 
https://mia.mk/al/story/judicial-council-supreme-court-and-judges-
issue, 
association-issue-open-letter-to-pm-mickoski%C2%A0 

Association 

Ministry  of  Justice  (2026),  The  working  group  for  reforms 
https://www.pravda.gov.mk/mk-MK/odnosi-so-javnost/novosti/ministerot-za-pravda-igor-filkov-kje-
pretsedava-so-rabotnata-grupa-za-reformi-vo-izbornoto-zakonodavstvo. 

the  electoral 

legislation, 

in 

Ministry of Justice (2026a), The working group for reforms in the electoral legislation continues its 
reviewed, 
work, 
https://www.pravda.gov.mk/en-GB/odnosi-so-javnost/novosti/rabotnata-grupa-za-reformi-vo-
izbornoto-zakonodavstvo-prodolzuva-so-rabota-se-razgleduvaat-preporakite-na-obseodixr. 

recommendations 

OSCE/ODIHR 

being 

are 

the 

the 

of 

Ministry  of  Justice  of  North  Macedonia  (2026b),  Annual Implementation  Report  of  the  Strategy  for 
in  2025,  https://portal.mdt.gov.mk/post-body-files/izvestai-
the  Judicial  Reform  (2024  2028) 
regulativa-file-miqI.pdf . 

MKD.MK  (2026),  Public  Prosecutors'  Reaction  to  Constitutional  Court:  Reduction  of  Prosecutors' 
Salary  Ratios  Will  Threaten  JO's  Self-Sufficiency,  Public  Prosecutors'  Reaction  to  Constitutional 
Court: Reduction of Prosecutors' Salary Ratios Will Threaten Independence of JO - MKD.MK. 

ODIHR 
https://www.osce.org/odihr/596869. 

(2025),  Legal  opinion  on 

the  draft  amendments 

to 

the  Electoral  Code, 

OSCE (2025), Trial Monitoring project, Quarterly report (Oct- Dec) 

/ODIHR,  Election  Observation  Mission 

OSCE 
elections, 
https://odihr.osce.org/sites/default/files/documents/official_documents/2026/04/MKD_Local_Election
s_2025_Final_Report_07.04.2026.pdf 

(2026),  Report  on 

local 

Platform  of  Civil  Society  Organizations  for  Combating  Corruption  and  the  Blueprint  Group  for 
Judicial 
(2025), 
Reform 
https://blueprint.org.mk/2025/12/22/%d0%bf%d0%bb%d0%b0%d1%82%d1%84%d0%be%d1%80%
d0%bc%d0%b0%d1%82%d0%b0-%d0%bd%d0%b0-
%d0%b3%d1%80%d0%b0%d1%93%d0%b0%d0%bd%d1%81%d0%ba%d0%b8-
%d0%be%d1%80%d0%b3%d0%b0%d0%bd%d0%b8%d0%b7%d0%b0%d1%86%d0%b8/ 

SIGMA (2025), Public administration in the Republic of North Macedonia 2024. Assessment against 
Administration, 
the 

Principles 

Public 

of 

19 

 
https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2025/01/public-administration-in-the-
republic-of-north-macedonia-2024_03a4d4f2/071bad9d-en.pdf. 

State Commission for Prevention of Corruption (2026), Annual Report on the Implementation of the 
National  Strategy  for  Preventing  Corruption  and  Conflict  of  Interest,  https://dksk.mk/mk/annual-
reports/ 

Transparency 
https://transparency.mk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/corruption-barometer-2025.pdf 

(2026),  Corruption  Barometer 

International 

for  North  Macedonia  2025, 

Venice  Commission  (June  2025),  Opinion  CDL-AD(2025)026,  Opinion  on  the  Draft  Law  on  the 
Judicial Council https://venice.coe.int/webforms/documents/?pdf=CDL-AD(2025)026-e 

Venice  Commission  (October  2025),  Opinion  CDL-AD(2025)036,  Joint  Opinion  of  the  Venice 
Commission  and  the  Directorate  General  Human  Rights  and  Rule  of  Law  (DGI)  of  the  Council  of 
Europe on the draft laws on the Public Prosecutor’s Office and on the Council of Public Prosecutors 
https://www.coe.int/en/web/venice-commission/-/cdl-ad-2025-036-e 

Venice  Commission,  CDL-AD(2015)042,  Opinion  on  the  Laws  on  the  Disciplinary  Liability  and 
Evaluation of Judges of “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 

Venice  Commission,  CDL-AD(2014)026,  Opinion  on  the  seven  amendments  to  the  Constitution  of 
“the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” concerning, in particular, the Judicial Council, the 
competence of the Constitutional Court and Special Financial Zones 

20 

 
Annex II: Country visit to North Macedonia 

The Commission services held virtual and hybrid meetings in March 2026 with: 

•  Academy for Judges and Prosecutors  
•  Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services  
•  Agency for the Protection of Free Access to Public Information  
•  Association of Journalists  
•  Association of Judges 
•  Association  of  on-line  media;  RESIS  Institute  (Research  Institute  on  Social 

Development) 

•  Association of Prosecutors  
•  Bar Association 
•  BIRN Macedonia 
•  Center for Civil Communication 
•  Constitutional Court 
•  Council of Europe Mission to Skopje 
•  Council of Media Ethics 
•  Council of Public Prosecutors  
• 
• 
• 
• 
•  Judicial Council  
•  Judicial Media Council  
•  Macedonian Centre for International Cooperation - MCIC 
•  Macedonian Institute for Media – MIM 
•  Meeting with the experts of the EU funded projects & “EU Support for Rule of Law” 

Independent Trade Union of Journalists and Media Workers; 
Institute for Democracy “Societas Civilis”  
Institute for Human Rights 
Institute of Communication Studies - IKS 

IPA Project 

•  Metamorphosis Foundation 
•  Ministry of Interior 
•  Ministry of Justice 
•  Ombudsperson Office 
•  Parliament secretariat  
•  Public Prosecutor’s Offices (PPOs)  
•  State Audit Office 
•  State Commission for Prevention of Corruption (SCPC) 
•  Supreme Court 

* The Commission also met the following organisations in a number of horizontal meetings: 

•  Civil Liberties Union for Europe 
•  Civil Society Europe 
•  End FGM EU 
•  European Civic Forum 
•  European Partnership for Democracy 

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•  Human Rights Watch 
• 

ILGA-Europe 
International Federation for Human Rights 
• 
•  Philea - Philanthropy Europe Association 
•  Transparency International EU 

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