Skopje, 24 September 2024 (MIA) - Minister of European Affairs Orhan Murtezani is taking part at a formal meeting of the European Union's General Affairs Council (GAC) in Brussels on Tuesday.

The first formal GAC meeting attended by ministers from EU candidate-states - North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro and Serbia - will focus on the European Commission’s 2024 rule of law report.

The meeting will tackle developments in four areas covered in the report - judicial system, anti-corruption, media pluralism and media freedom - as well as other institutional issues related to controlling mechanisms.

In the rule of law report on North Macedonia, the European Commission notes that the country has undergone several waves of judicial reform and adopted a new justice strategy aiming to improve the independence, efficiency, and professionalism of the judiciary.

"However, the independence of the judiciary and the institutional capacity to protect it against undue influence remain a serious concern. The level of perceived judicial independence is very low. Concerns also remain regarding the functioning and independence of the Judicial Council, while steps have been taken in this respect. Appointment decisions for public prosecutors and judges have been criticised by civil society for not being comprehensively motivated or based on objective criteria," reads the report.

It adds that measures to improve transparency have been undertaken, codes of ethics are in place for both prosecutors and judges but limited
financial resources allocated to the judiciary may affect its financial autonomy, and the deficit of human resources could impact the quality and efficiency of justice.

According to the report, a comprehensive national anti-corruption strategy is in place, however its implementation lags behind.

"High risk of corruption remains prevalent in many areas. Recent amendments to the Criminal Code weakened the legal framework, negatively affecting the prosecution of corruption, especially in high-level corruption cases. Resource constraints and a lack of cooperation between national authorities hamper the effective prosecution of corruption and hinder the establishment of a robust track-record of high-level corruption cases. The State Commission for Prevention of Corruption has continued efforts to fulfil its mandate despite limited resources," says the report and adds there are several gaps as regards financing of political parties.

Challenges remain concerning transparency of media ownership and concerns have been raised regarding certain elements of the reintroduction of state-funded advertising.

"The Public Service Broadcaster faces challenges. The Agency for Protection of Free Access to Public Information ensures access to public information despite limited resources, while concerns regarding refusals and delays remain. Legislative measures have enhanced the legal safeguards for the protection of journalists, yet threats and acts of violence against journalists have been noted," reads the report.

It says that political polarisation in the Parliament has caused delays in its work and led to an excessive and sometimes inappropriate use of accelerated legislative procedures.

"Shortcomings remain in the implementation of the processes for inclusive and evidence-base policymaking. The Office of the Ombudsperson is under-resourced, and challenges for the systematic follow-up to its findings and recommendations remain. Civil society organisations operate in an overall enabling environment, but challenges remain to ensure sustainable engagement in policymaking," concludes the report.

MIA file photo