In continuation of our analysis of the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index 2024, here’s an overview of North Macedonia’s performance across key categories, with a focus on real-world examples and potential improvements:

  1. Constraints on Government Powers
    • Legislative and Judicial Limits: Parliamentary oversight in North Macedonia is comparable to other Balkan democracies, where political party influence often weakens checks on government power. Recent judiciary reforms have been delayed, echoing similar challenges seen in Kosovo and Albania.

  • Non-Governmental Checks: Civil society organizations (CSOs) and independent media face challenges. Initiatives from Croatia to protect independent media could serve as guidance for North Macedonia.
  1. Absence of Corruption
  • Executive and Judicial Integrity: Despite progress in judicial anti-corruption reforms, North Macedonia remains below regional standards. Serbia’s anti-corruption courts offer a model that North Macedonia could consider for tackling public sector corruption.
  • Transparency in Public Procurement: Corruption in public procurement remains a challenge. North Macedonia could benefit from digital procurement processes, similar to Montenegro’s successful approach to reducing corruption.
  1. Open Government
  • Public Access to Information: While access to public documents is legally guaranteed, practical challenges remain. Estonia’s digital access system could be a model for North Macedonia to simplify and improve the accessibility of public records.
  • Encouraging Civic Participation: Public awareness campaigns, like Macedonia’s earlier “Open Parliament” initiative, could be reintroduced to foster greater engagement, particularly in rural areas.
  1. Fundamental Rights
  • Freedom of Expression and Media: Political and business pressures limit press freedom. Slovenia’s successful media protections could be a guide to safeguarding journalistic independence in North Macedonia.
  • Gender and Ethnic Discrimination: Campaigns similar to Romania’s anti-discrimination efforts could help North Macedonia reduce gaps in protecting women and minority groups.
  1. Order and Security
  • Stable Internal Security: North Macedonia’s community policing programs contribute to low crime rates. This approach could serve as a model for other countries in the region.
  • Regional Security Cooperation: North Macedonia’s strong alignment with EU security frameworks has helped maintain peace. Further participation in regional alliances could enhance stability.
  1. Regulatory Enforcement
  • Improper Influence on Regulations: North Macedonia faces challenges with political influence in regulatory enforcement. Albania’s strict penalties for violations could serve as a model.
  • Consistency in Enforcement: Environmental and public health regulations face inconsistent enforcement. Serbia’s mobile inspection systems could be explored to standardize and ensure fair regulatory practices.
  1. Civil Justice
  • Affordability of Legal Services: The cost of legal services is a barrier for many citizens. North Macedonia could look to Poland’s subsidized legal aid clinics for vulnerable groups to reduce costs and improve access.
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR): ADR mechanisms such as mediation could help reduce court backlogs. Montenegro’s incentives for out-of-court settlements offer a practical approach.
  1. Criminal Justice
  • Investigative and Prosecutorial Resources: Limited resources for criminal investigations slow down cases. Romania’s partnership with EU support for specialized investigative units could enhance North Macedonia’s capabilities.
  • Ensuring Due Process: Prolonged pre-trial detention is a key issue. Hungary’s reforms to implement mandatory pre-trial hearing timelines could help improve fairness in North Macedonia.

For further insights into North Macedonia’s performance across all categories of the Rule of Law Index, visit: WJP Rule of Law Index 2024.

Stay connected as we continue exploring how these issues impact vulnerable groups and what improvements can be made to ensure fair and equitable governance for all.! ⚖️📊