News
Political Dialogue, Judiciary Seen as Main Challenges on Macedonia's Road to NATO
SKOPJE, Macedonia -- The participants in a public debate Wednesday (April 4th) on Macedonia's NATO integration bid cited political dialogue and judicial reforms as the main challenges on the path to Alliance membership. The meeting in Skopje included Defence Minister Lazar Elenovski and several of his predecessors. During the discussions, Elenovski voiced his belief that crucial dialogue between the ruling and opposition parties, including ethnic Albanian ones, would proceed. Macedonia hopes to receive an invitation to join the Alliance next year. (Makfax, A1 TV - 04/04/07)
Programs
Anti-Corruption
Under an award from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the ABA in Macedonia implemented an anti-corruption campaign targeting Macedonia's youth. The project included the creation of an educational cartoon aired on television stations throughout the country. Read more »»
Human Rights and Conflict Mitigation
Through its human rights and conflict mitigation program in Macedonia, the ABA worked to support full implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement. Specifically, the ABA sought to contribute to the consolidation of peace and stability by increasing the level of understanding of minority rights and increasing access for minority communities to the legal system, both as clients and as legal professionals.
Minority Representation in Legal Profession
Released in October 2004, Report on Minority Participation in the Legal Profession in Macedonia revealed a very low minority participation rate; approximately six percent compared to approximately 25 percent in the general population according to the new census. Drawing on the findings and recommendations in the report, the ABA organized a pilot internship program with Macedonian legal institutions to encourage minority law graduates to enter the legal profession. Read more »»
Targeted Assistance to Roma
In 2005 and 2006, the ABA implemented a USAID-funded project to provide assistance targeted to Roma communities and Roma individuals who would like to "regularize" their citizenship and become naturalized citizens of the Republic of Macedonia. The amendments to the citizenship law passed in 2004 included a temporary provision under which long-term residents could apply for citizenship under relaxed requirements. This provision expired on March 2, 2006. Through the support of USAID, the ABA provided funding and legal assistance to more than 1,000 applicants before the temporary provision expired. Read more »»
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
In April 2005, the ABA released its Targeted Analysis of the Implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) in the Republic of Macedonia. Read more »»
Publications
- Legal Profession Reform Index (June 2004). Also available in Macedonian
- Analysis of the Implementation of the ICCPR in Macedonia (June 2004)
- Report on Minority Participation in the Legal Profession in Macedonia (September 2004)
- Macedonia Judicial Reform Index - Volume II (November 2003)
- Macedonia Judicial Reform Index (March 2002)
Background
In early 1993, the ABA became one of the first foreign technical assistance providers to arrive in the newly independent nation of Macedonia. The ABA developed close working relationships with leaders in the legal profession and a number of legal nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).
The ABA provided assistance in judicial reform through the Macedonian Judges Association and supported the creation of its Center for Continuing Education, which trained nearly all new Macedonian judges; provided institution-building support to the Macedonian Prosecutors Association; and established the Macedonian Legal Resource Center, which created an electronic database containing court opinions, laws and other relevant legal information.
As part of its legal profession reform and legal education efforts, the ABA worked closely with the Macedonian Bar Association and the Macedonian Business Lawyers Association to provide continuing legal education programs and with Macedonian law faculties to establish a clinical law program. The ABA also supported the Association for the Emancipation, Solidarity, and Equality of Women, a leading women's organization in Macedonia, in establishing a legal aid clinic working primarily on gender and family issues in Skopje; and the founding of TEMIS, the Association of Macedonian Women Jurists.
