Мај 2Ju020 July 2019

Strategy for Development of the “One Society For All” Concept and Interculturalism

VERSION 2 – JULY 2019

Table of contents

1. INTRODUCTION AND METHODOLOGY ...... 3 Why do we need a Strategy for One Society and Interculturalism? ...... 3 Vision ...... 6 The drafting process and structure of the Strategy ...... 6 2. Strategic areas ...... 7 2.1 Legal framework ...... 7 2.1.1. State of play ...... 7 2.1.2 Кey priorities and objectives ...... 11 2.2 Education...... 12 2.2.1. State of play ...... 12 2.2.2. Key priorities and objectives ...... 18 2.3.1. Analysis of state of play ...... 19 2.3.2 Key priorities and objectives ...... 24 2.4 Culture ...... 26 2.4.1. Analysis of state of play ...... 26 2.4.2. Key priorities and objectives ...... 31 2.5 Youth ...... 32 2.5.1 Analysis of state of play ...... 32 2.5.2 Key priorities and objectives ...... 36 2.6 Media ...... 37 2.6.1. Analysis of state of play ...... 37 2.6.2 Key priorities and objectives ...... 47 2.7 Social cohesion ...... 48 2.7.1. Analysis of state of play ...... 48 2.7.2 Key priorities and objectives ...... 53 3. Implementation of the Strategy ...... 54 3.1. Political level ...... 54 3.2. Coordination, monitoring, reporting, and implementation risks ...... 54 Annex 1: Action plan – enclosed ...... 56

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ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS

AAAMS Agency for Audio and Audio-visual Media Services AC Advisory Committee on the Application of the Framework Convention for the National Minorities ACRR Agency for Community Rights Realisation AYS Agency for Youth and Sports BED Bureau for Development of Education CEMM Media Ethics Council CICR Committee on inter-community relations CM Committee of Ministers CoE Council of Europe CPD Commission for the protection against discrimination CVET Centre for Vocational Education and Training DAPCMC Directorate for Affirmation and Promotion of the Culture of the Members of Communities DDPEMC Directorate for Development and Promotion of Education of the Members of the Communities EC European Commission ECHR European Convention on Human Rights ECRI European Commission against Racism and Intolerance of the Council of Europe ECRML European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages FCPNM Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities GRNM Government of the Republic of North Macedonia IIEP Inter-ethnic Integration in Education Project LSGU Local Self-Government Units MCGO Macedonian Civic Education Centre MDC Media Development Centre MES Ministry of Education and Science MIM Macedonian Media Institute MLSG Ministry of Local Self-Government MLSP Ministry of Labour and Social Policy MoH Ministry of Health MOI Ministry of the Interior MoJ Ministry of Justice MRT Macedonian Radio Television NDC Nansen Dialogue Centre NMIE Nansen Model for Intercultural Education NO National Ombudsman NPAA National Programme for Adoption of the Acquis Communautaire NRT National Radio Television NYCM National Youth Council of Macedonia OFA Ohrid Framework Agreement OSCE Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe RM Republic of Macedonia RNM Republic of North Macedonia SEI State Education Inspectorate SIOFA Secretariat for the Implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement SSNM Autonomous Trade Union of Journalists and media workers UN United Nations ZELS Association of Local Self-Government Unites of Republic of North Macedonia ZNM Association of Journalists of RNM ZUZPZ Law on Promotion and Protection of Rights of Members of the Communities Comprising less than 20% of the Population

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1. INTRODUCTION AND METHODOLOGY At its 93rd Session held 08.10.2018, the Government of the Republic of Macedonia adopted information about the need for drafting a National Strategy for developing the “One Society For All” Concept and Interculturalism. The drafting and implementation of the Strategy is aligned with the Government Program, and is in harmony with the strategic priorities of the Government for 2019. It aims to further develop intercultural communication in the Republic of North Macedonia between its diverse cultures and communities, and to apply it as a tool for implementing the recommendations of the international bodies of the Unites Nations, the Council of Europe, the European Commission and of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. The National Strategy for development of the “One Society For All” Concept and Interculturalism is a document, first of its kind in the Republic of North Macedonia, significant if one considers the divisions within the society on various grounds. This document is envisioned to initiate activities and strengthen the processes of communication and cooperation between communities, with the aim of developing a society where every person shall feel as a member of “one society”. The main objective is to depart from a divided society and arrive at a society which is fair and just and which makes citizens more equal and equitable. In light of the commitment of the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia for partnership with the civil society in the process of policy-making and its implementation and with a view to a direct and substantial participation of civil society organisations in the drafting of this strategic document, working groups were developed, comprised of representatives of institutions and the civil society, which took active part in the overall process of drafting of this Strategy. The National Strategy for development of the “One Society For All” Concept and Interculturalism has been projected for a three-year period, which will be followed by revision of the processes and analysis of the future steps. The document contains seven strategic areas, each comprised of analysis of state of play, priorities and objectives as well as an action part. These sectoral strategies ought to, each in its own part, declare the priorities and objectives derived from them, which should all contribute with activities that will enable this Strategy succeed in changing the social reality by initiating processes for a more integrated society. Each strategic area needs to focus on the existing gaps and documents and to retrieve the forgotten projects or revive anew the stalled processes that are to enable better communication and cooperation at the level of social sectors.

Why do we need a Strategy for One Society and Interculturalism? The need for this Strategy in the Republic of North Macedonia has emerged from the broad opinions and estimates that the state is functioning through divided and separated communities. The primary line of that division is the ethnic background (which often overlaps with the religious one). Such division has been noted by many international organisations and their bodies, including the European Commission (EC), the Advisory Committee of the Framework Convention for the National Minorities,1 and the other monitoring mechanisms of the Council of Europe (СоЕ) and the United Nations (UN), but also by analysis conducted at the national level. For instance, in its latest Opinion, the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (ACFC) of the Council of Europe urgently recommends that the state “takes all necessary measures towards building an integrated society that is firmly based on the rule of law, the protection of human rights, including minority rights, and respect for diversity, and disengage from mutually exclusive ethno nationalist politics that further the formation of parallel societies.”2 The Ohrid Framework Agreement Review on Social Cohesion (OFA) prepared in 2015 points to the fragile inter-ethnic situation, the lack of trust between communities and the need for continued focus on social cohesion.3

1 The term ‘majority’ in this Strategy is used in the original titles of the conventions, as well as in directs citations. 2 https://rm.coe.int/CoERMPublicCommonSearchServices/DisplayDCTMContent?documentId=09000016806d23e3 3 “Ohrid Framework Agreement Review on Social Cohesion”, Government of the Republic of North Macedonia, Secretariat for the Implementation of the OFA, Skopje 2015 3

Moreover, field research in this area continually reveals that inter-ethnic relations are important both at the individual level (78.4 %) and for the state (86.3 %).4 Second, additional to the ethnicity as the division line of Macedonian society, this Strategy takes equality and non-discrimination as one of its basic principles. This approach is in line with the prerequisites for the exercise of interculturalism according to the CoE, which include: human rights, democracy and the rule of law, equal dignity and mutual respect, gender equality, overcoming barriers that impede intercultural dialogue and due consideration to the religious dimension. Additionally, non-discrimination and effective equality are some of the structural principles which also stand as preconditions for an effective contribution of all to the general good, provided for in the Ljubljana Guidelines on Integration of Diverse Societies of the OSCE.5 Under these guidelines, the prohibition of discrimination entails equality before the law and equal protection under the law, and implies removing all obstacles with a view to effective equality. Ensuring effective equality, by law and in practice, also implies a positive commitment to adopting targeted policies and, whenever necessary, specific measures.6 In the Republic of North Macedonia, the legislative framework for non-discrimination and equality is enshrined in the Constitution, its laws and ratified international agreements. The fundamental values of our constitutional order are: the fundamental freedoms and rights of the individual and the citizen recognized by the international law and provided for by the Constitution. The right to non-discrimination and equality is stipulated in Article 9 of the Constitution, which lays down the basic freedoms and rights of the people and citizens: “Citizens of the Republic of North Macedonia are equal in their freedoms and rights, regardless of sex, race, colour of skin, national and social origin, political and religious beliefs, property and social status.” Accordingly, the mission of the National Strategy for Equality and Non-Discrimination 2016-2020, which also underpins this Strategy, is “Effective protection against discrimination and respect for the principle of equal opportunities and the prohibition of discrimination against any person and/or group of persons, based in their personal characteristics, and especially against the vulnerable social groups.”7 Likewise, the Gender Equality Strategy 2013-2020 is a strategic document which provides the framework for full equality of women and men as a cross-sectoral, horizontal and universal social and political priority. Moreover, this document has taken the fundamental steps and specific directions for complete attainment of gender equality in the Republic of North Macedonia. Nevertheless, despite the legislative safeguards, the 2018 Report of the European Network of Non- Discrimination Experts identifies a number of shortcomings, both in terms of the legislation in this area but also in terms of its implementation in practice. They include the lack of compliance with national legislation and international standards, including the omission of sexual orientation as one of the grounds in the legislation, insufficient funding for national human rights institutions, a culture of impunity for hate speech/hate crime, the issue of rule of law and the low level of trust in the institutions, including the judiciary, as well as the lack of independence of the national equality body and the attacks on civil society and activists with critical attitudes.8 This Strategy perceives interculturalism as an answer to the challenges of the Macedonian society described above. In the international context, the interculturalism is spearheaded by the CoE as organization

4 Klekovski Sasho, 2011, Interethnic Relations in the Republic of Macedonia, Skopje: Macedonian Centre for International Cooperation. 5 OSCE, High Commissioner on National Minorities, The Ljubljana Guidelines on Integration of Diverse Societies & Explanatory Note, November 2012, available at: https://www.osce.org/mk/hcnm/100449?download=true 6 OSCE, High Commissioner on National Minorities, The Ljubljana Guidelines on Integration of Diverse Societies & Explanatory Note, November 2012, available at: https://www.osce.org/mk/hcnm/100449?download=true 7 The Strategy enumerates the following persons: ethnic communities, women, LGBTI persons, persons with mental and physical disabilities, elderly people, children, refugees, persons of a lower social status, internally displaced persons, as well as other vulnerable groups, members of religious communities and any person treated differently without justified reasons and a legitimate cause. See: Ministry of Labour and Social Policy National Strategy for Equality and Non-Discrimination 2016-2020, http://www.mtsp.gov.mk/content/pdf/dokumenti/7.7_Strategija%20za%20ednakvost%20i%20nediskriminacija.pdf 8 Kotevska, Biljana, 2018 Country report Non-discrimination, available at: https://bit.ly/2GW5nvD 4

committed to the protection of human rights. In 2008 this organization published the White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue, according to which “the challenge of a joint life in a diverse society can only be overcome if we can live together with dignity and as equal individuals.”9 According to the same document, the “intercultural dialogue pertains to an open and dignified exchange of opinions between individuals, groups of diverse ethnic, cultural, religious and linguistic origin and heritage, based on mutual understanding and respect”.10 Parallel to this document, the European Commission declared the year 2008 as the Year of intercultural dialogue. Generally speaking, in many documents of the EU and the Council of Europe, interculturalism is linked to values such as human rights, democracy, culture of peace and dialogue as well as an European identity. To its largest extent, interculturalism is approach that is expected to overcome some of the shortcomings of multiculturalism. Multiculturalism is more committed to principles, regulations and policies in a multicultural society that formally recognizes and affirms the existence of diverse and specific communities, establishes and safeguards their (specific) rights, equal status and adequate protection. Its central goal is to create conditions for coexistence and cooperation of all separate communities and individuals that belong to them, as well as to stimulate the protection and development of their separate cultures.11 In addition to the previously stated postulates of multiculturalism, interculturalism pays particular attention to the intertwined existence of specific communities, their common interests and activities that lead to new practices and cultures in the context of the constant evolution of cultures and co-existence in all spheres of contemporary diverse societies. The central goal of interculturalism is to enable such interlinking, cooperation and active joint (co)existence, bearing in mind that in such processes, the specific cultures and identities are constantly evolving and transforming and can lead to the creation and development of new ones.12 According to Booth, interculturalism is an approach whose task is to develop cohesive civil societies through the transformation of one-dimensional into multidimensional identities and through the development of a common value system and public culture.13 The inherent advantages of such approach are interaction and dialogue, aspiration towards unity and strong social cohesion.14

9 COUNCIL OF EUROPE (2008), Council of Europe Committee of Ministers, White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue “Living Together As Equals in Dignity”, available at https://rm.coe.int/16804ec73d 10 COUNCIL OF EUROPE (2008), Council of Europe Committee of Ministers, White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue “Living Together As Equals in Dignity”, available at: https://rm.coe.int/16804ec73d 11 Kymlicka W, 1955, Multicultural citizenship a liberal theory of minority rights, Oxford) 12 Basic, Zagar, Tatalovic (2018), Multiculturalism in Public Policies, Institute for Social Sciences, Beograd, p. 18-22 13 Booth, T (200) Book review of: Interculturalism, Education and Inclusion, British Journal of Educational Studies, 51 (4) pp: 432–433. 14 Nasar Meer & Tariq Modood (2012) How does Interculturalism Contrast with Multiculturalism?, Journal of Intercultural Studies, 33:2, 175-196, DOI: 10.1080/07256868.2011.618266 5

Vision Republic of North Macedonia built upon the “One Society for All” Concept with a developed interculturalism. To us, One Society for All means: recognition of all diversities, safeguarding and ensuring equality, social justice, just and equitable treatment, equal opportunities, involvement and participation of citizens in decision-making and attaining social cohesion.

The drafting process and structure of the Strategy The seven working groups involved in the preparation of this draft Strategy and Action Plan were holding regular meetings in the past six months in order to discuss the analysis of the state of play and jointly defined the common goals, priorities and measures. Participatory approach to the drafting was the key aspect on which this document relied and hence is the argument for the (partially) different approaches reflected in the strategic areas. At first, each of the strategic areas analysed the state of play by assessing the strategic documents, institutions and stakeholders, the external environment, and then produced conclusions regarding the challenges ahead. The analysis of state of play, based onto which priorities and objectives were elaborated in each of the strategic areas, have been translated into concrete measures and activities in the action plan of this draft-Strategy. This document was the subject of extensive consultations and discussions in the period May-June 2019 with citizens, representatives of state institutions, the civil society, academic community and other stakeholders. The document has incorporated much of the submitted comments, suggestions and follow- up of public debates held across the country. The end result of this process is a document which reflects, to the best extent possible, the steps needed to achieve its vision for One Society for all.

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2. Strategic areas 2.1 Legal framework 2.1.1. State of play

Regarding the state of play, we rely on data generated by professional analysis made by international organisations such as: UN, OSCE, Council of Europe (CoE) and the EU, that is, bodies of these organisations and relevant monitoring bodies. The thorough database for analysing the state of play relies on the Report of the Senior Experts Group of the European Commission (from 2015 and 2017) led by Mr. Priebe (the so-called Priebe report) and the latest EC country progress reports. In addition, we had consulted the reports of the European Commission for Fight Against Racism and Intolerance of the Council of Europe (ECRI), the recommendations of the Advisory Committee of the Framework Convention for the National Minorities (FCNM) of the Council of Europe, from December 2016 (and the pertinent resolutions of the CM adopted in relation to these recommendations), as well as the National Strategy for equality and non- discrimination (2016-2020) and the Ohrid Framework Agreement Review on Social Cohesion (OFA) prepared in 2015. In light of this are the Conclusions of the UN human Rights Committee recommendations (for the state to implements its obligations referred to in the International covenant on civil and political rights) and of the UN Committee for Economic Social and Cultural Rights (International Covenant for the Economic, Cultural and Social Rights). Moreover, the baseline for analysis was supplemented further by the Information about the need for drafting a National Strategy for development of the “One Society For All” Concept and Interculturalism.15 Henceforth, and especially considering the principled commitment of this Strategy to focus on realistic, achievable and measurable parameters, and not on overly ambitious goals, the focus of this analysis of state of play has been placed on several priority issues directly related to the strategic area and the legal framework. The positive in the case of the Republic of North Macedonia is the fact that we are a party to all the most important international conventions adopted by the UN and the CoE16 in the field of human rights, which are largely connected and are precondition for the establishment of the interculturalism in the society. As constitutionally enshrined rights, they are part of Macedonia’s legal order. Nevertheless, the main denominator in the criticism of the situation in our country is the failure to implement the undertaken obligations from the international documents (they are either not implemented or are insufficiently implemented in practice17), which is the observation stated over a longer time period by foreign experts. First of all, the Priebe Report observes several instances that require urgent and constant action: ensuring justice, complete implementation of the principle of the rule of law and elimination of impunity. The latest EC Country Progress Report for 201818, notes that the Review of the implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement (hereinafter OFA), which was the epilogue of the conflict in 2001 thus providing a

15 Prepared by the special advisor for development of multicultural society, interculturalism and intercultural communications, office of the PMRNM, Mr. Rubin Zemon, PhD. 16 MK has ratified all the fundamental human rights conventions of the UN, and has also ratified 93 Conventions of the Council of Europe, also referred to as the Istanbul Convention. 17 Excerpt from the Priebe Report: “Frequently, the existing legal framework does not raise particular problems and relevant services are generally competent and professional. There is however a lack of proper, objective and unbiased implementation. The considerable gap between legislation and practice has to be urgently addressed and overcome”. See: Recommendations of the Senior Experts' Group on systemic Rule of Law issues relating to the communications interception revealed in Spring 2015, Brussels, 8 June 2015, available at: https://ec.europa.eu/neighbourhood-enlargement/sites/near/files/news_corner/news/news- files/20150619_recommendations_of_the_senior_experts_group.pdf 18 Report of the EC for 2018 for RM, available at: https://bit.ly/2qJP0Kv 7

framework for interethnic relations, should be monitored in a transparent and inclusive way; furthermore, it establishes that in terms of public administration and human resources management, the smaller communities are still underrepresented in the public sector, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, for a long time back we have had a situation where many civil servants were and still are receiving salaries without appearing at their assigned workplace. Similarly, in the section dedicated to “rights”, among other things, it is noted that the overall framework for the protection of ethnic communities has been established through the OFA, but goes on stating that the relevant institutions are not implementing fully policies related to the smaller ethnic communities. This is due to the unclear mandate of the institutions, the absence of inter-institutional cooperation (or lack of co-ordination), the lack of resources and the lack of political will. Ethnic communities representing less than 20 % of the population are not sufficiently included in policy-making and decision-making at the national level. In light of this, the country needs to address the recommendations issued by the Advisory Committee of the Framework Convention on National Minorities in its last report of December 201619. In other words, although the OFA constitutionally safeguards the multicultural legal framework in order to preserve the multi-ethnic character of society, such an objective in itself it is not sufficient to provide social cohesion, that is, integration into the society. To this end, full implementation of all other legislative acts within the system is required (obligation assumed by international covenants and agreements), as a prerequisite to have a greater scope for all marginalized and vulnerable categories of people who suffer from social exclusion and insufficient protection. In fact, findings of the EC and of the expert public point exactly to that direction. To this end, this overarching and cross-cutting Strategy shall be managed by a permanent advisory body at a political level that will unite a multitude of institutions and stakeholders in order to achieve its vision.20 Additionally, the amendments to the Law on Organization and Operation of the State Administration Bodies and the establishment of a new Ministry - Ministry of Political System and Inter-Community Relations, which shall inherit the former Secretariat for Implementation of the OFA, will have to undertake a firm commitment to address a complex issue of coordination of institutions that have direct or indirect competence in the implementation of the OFA, and of other legislative acts. The conclusion of all the above mentioned reports is firstly that responsible institutions and the judiciary lack the capacity in the context of increased need for capacity building of the responsible institutions such as: Commission for the Protection Against Discrimination, the Office of the Ombudsman, inspectorates etc., for maintaining databases aggregated by ethnicity, sex, but also other parameters, and a detailed analysis of legislation and policies and their promotion. Secondly, there is a lack of confidence in the judiciary on the part of members of non-majority communities. Additionally, among the conditions provided for in the Law on Courts, it is striking that during election of judges, in spite of the prohibition on discrimination based on: sex, race, ethnic and social origin, political and religious beliefs, property and social status (Article 43, paragraph 1); similar to the Law on Academy for Judges and Public Prosecutors (Article 9, in this case for selection of candidates for admission to the initial training of the Academy), the criteria of these laws safeguard adequate and equitable representation of citizens from all communities in the Republic of North Macedonia. However, the following issues are still nor regulated: who supervises the application of these rules, what will happen in case they are not applied, or what is the procedure in case of lack of suitable candidates from certain ethnic communities. The analysis of state of play also shows another problem related to the integration of the society, i.e. that smaller ethnic communities are not sufficiently involved in policy-making at the national level. The relevant institutions do not sufficiently enforce the guaranteed constitutional categories, as well as the policies pertaining to the smaller communities, compared to the two major ethnic communities. ECRI’s latest

19 More info available in reports at https://www.coe.int/en/web/minorities/country-specific-monitoring 20 More information available in Part 3: Monitoring. 8

Report21, therefore recommends the adoption of a comprehensive strategy for their integration and adequate inclusion in all societal processes and the public life, which is somewhat provided for in the Law on Promotion and Protection of Rights of Members of the Communities Comprising Less than 20% of the Population, but that is not sufficient and not implemented fully. In light of this, ECRI establishes that the Commissions for Inter-Community Relations (CICRs) could become an important integration mechanism, and to receive advisory opinions. ECRI is committed to overcoming the problem caused by the fact that opinions of these commissions are not binding for municipal councils and the Council of the City of Skopje. The OFA envisions a number of mechanisms that should ensure that interests of citizens and communities are taken into account in the process of political decision-making, in particular the double majority requirement (Badenteur principle), for decisions deemed sensitive to inter-community relations. These two mechanisms should be fostered, the Badenteur and CICR principles at central and local level, and must be used more to strengthen the relationships among communities. Despite the recommendations of Council of Europe's ECRI (December 2016), which denotes to a whole range of findings, recommendations and draft measures within the authority of several institutions in the system, the conclusion is that the level of mutual coordination between the institutions is very low and there are no specific activities by competent ministries and government institutions to implement those recommendations In light of this, the EC has repeatedly stated that “the relevant institutions are weak in implementing policies related to minorities.”22 The legislative house, i.e. the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia houses a Commission for Inter-Community Relations, the establishment of which is based in the Constitution. More specifically, under Amendment XII to the Constitutional Article 7823, the Assembly shall consider any opinions and proposals put forward by the Committee and deliberate on it. However, ever since its establishment until present day, this Committee has not managed to establish itself as an important body in the political system of the country for achieving full integration of the multicultural and multi-ethnic society, as it is non-functional. It was strongly criticized in several EC reports over the past years for its non- functioning and inability to deliver at the level of its constitutional and legislative competences. Another obvious thing is the exclusion and conflict in practice of the Constitutional Amendment VI which safeguards the just and equitable representation of all communities in state bodies and institutions. With its precisely defined number of members of the Committee, representatives of the “other” communities living in Republic of North Macedonia are not fully given the possibility to have their own representative who will represent the interest of the 10% non-Macedonian and non-Albanian population, although the mandate given to the Committee is also to consider issues which directly affect the interests of all citizens who are members of the communities. Moreover, the 2015 “Ohrid Framework Agreement Review on Social Cohesion” recommends that “...emphasis be placed to capitalize on the existence of a Parliamentary CICR for the purpose of developing more constructive interethnic relations and foster a continual debate and consensus on interethnic relations and the integration of society, not just by the way of emergency interventions during tensions... and … to consider broadening the composition of the Parliamentary Committee on Inter-community Relations in order to also provide room to the numerically smallest communities (category of “others” in the Constitution preamble)”. 24

21 See: https://www.coe.int/en/web/european-commission-against-racism-and-intolerance/country-monitoring 22 Cited according to the information about the need for drafting a National Strategy for development of the “One Society For All” Concept and Interculturalism, prepared by Mr. Rubin Zemon, Ph.D – special advisor for development of multicultural society, interculturalism and intercultural communications, office of the PMRNM. 23 The Committee is comprised of 19 members, seven of which are MPs of Macedonian and Albanian background, and one MP each from the Turkish, Vlach, Roma, Serbian and Bosniak community. In case some of the mentioned communities are not represented, the Ombudsman, upon consultations with relevant representatives of those communities, shall nominate the other members of the Committee. The Assembly shall elect Committee members. The Committee shall consider issues related to relations between the communities in the country and put forward opinions and proposals for their resolution. 24 “Ohrid Framework Agreement Review on Social Cohesion”, Government of the Republic of Macedonia, Secretariat for the implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement, Skopje 2015, p. 11 9

This year the Parliament passed the new Law on Non-discrimination. The Law on Prevention and Protection against Discrimination expands the grounds for discrimination and includes new provisions which are expected to provide more effective protection against discrimination. They help change and better define the terms and definition of discrimination, the Commission for Protection against Discrimination is professionalized, and the name and mandate of the Commission for Prevention and Protection against Discrimination is changed, so that now it also works on prevention, in addition to protection from discrimination. The new envisaged conditions and manner of election of Commission members, the use of new evidence in court proceedings and action popularis, then the exoneration from court fees in proceedings is expected to overcome the weaknesses of the previous law, which for years have been noted by the relevant international organizations as a serious disadvantage that undermines the principle of equality, the prohibition of unequal treatment and, in general, serious remarks were addressed due to the narrow interpretation of discrimination. The working group on the strategic area of legal framework considers this piece of legislation as extremely important and its consistent implementation also poses challenge to this Strategy. In that sense, it seems that immediate priority is the consistent application of the new law and the need for coordination and harmonising all activities arising from the Law. This particularly refers to the need for regular communications and coordinated activities between: the Commission for Prevention and Protection against Discrimination, the Ombudsman and the Standing Survey Commission for Protection of Freedoms and Rights of Citizens, when it comes to the fulfilment of legal obligations. Considering that 2020 is the deadline for implementation of the National Strategy for Equality and Non-Discrimination (2016-2020), and also the revised Law Against Discrimination which is in force, this appears to raise a broader opportunity for new policy priorities which deal with the fight against discrimination. They must be reflected in the adoption of the new National Strategy for Equality and Non- Discrimination. Hence, undoubtedly the priority of the National Strategy for the Development of the Concept for One Society and Interculturalism is to suggest the immediate adoption of a new National Strategy for Equality and Non-Discrimination (2021-2026), which will take serious account of all the above mentioned aspects.

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2.1.2 Кey priorities and objectives Priority 1: Invigorating institutions belonging to the legislative, executive and judicial branch of the government with a view to promote “One society for all with developed interculturalism” concept Objective 1.1. Effective and functional institutions which continue to promote the “One society for all with developed interculturalism” concept Objective 1.2. Functional network for cooperation and interaction of all institutions responsible for the “One society for all with developed interculturalism” concept

Priority 2. Establishing effective and functional system for consistent implementation of laws ensuring equal society for all Objective 2.1. Harmonised national legislation with international documents and laws in the spirit of “One society for all and interculturalism” concept Objective 2.2. Conduct ex-ante and ex-post evaluation of legislation Objective 2.3. Establish a Permanent Advisory Body responsible to coordinate implementation of the Strategy, and evaluate relevant legislation and functionality of institutions for development of the “One society for all with developed interculturalism” concept

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2.2 Education 2.2.1. State of play Introduction The Concept for nine-year primary education25, lays down several principles that education should be based upon, among others the principles of democracy, non-discrimination, respect to individual differences among students, аs well as the principle of understanding the “other” and multiculturalism, which clearly indicates that the content, methods and activities taught at schools ought to promote tolerance and respect to differences as commonly shared values, and to enable learning and develop skills for understanding and respecting the others. The vision of the two latest strategic documents in the education area (The Concept for Intercultural Education,26 and the Education Strategy 2018-202527) clearly denotes the commitment for respect to differences, of any nature. The vision of the Concept for intercultural education consists of “developing ambiance for education and upbringing that will nourish intercultural relations and integrative processes that promote cultural differences and their transposition in a wider societal and multi- ethnic and multicultural context.”28 The concept advocates re-examination of education with a view to strengthening communication, cooperation and understanding among members of different ethnic communities in the education institutions, and at the same time seeks intercultural education to be a long- term strategic priority of the society. On the other hand, the latest Education Strategy 2018-2025 and its Action Plan denotes as the Strategy’s vision the “commitment to enable a comprehensive, inclusive and integrated education aimed at “the student”, with modern curricula that enable future generations to gain knowledge, skills and competencies in accordance with the needs of the democratic multicultural society, the labour market and the new challenges in the global scientific and technological environment.”29 Furthermore, according to the vision, the strategy will be focused on embracing multiculturalism, interethnic tolerance, respecting the differences and democratic values.30 Looking at the Law on Primary Education,31 among the number of listed education objectives are also the following: i) education on mutual tolerance, cooperation, respect for diversity, basic human freedoms and rights, as well as ii) developing awareness among students about belonging to the Republic of Macedonia and fostering their own national and cultural identity. But the question which arises is how much education really enables the acquisition of this knowledge, values and skills, that is, of the objectives that are laid down in the Law. In the past ten years there has been a lot of research that identifies various issues about the education system itself as to the extent to which education really enables students which are different on any basis to meet, make friends and work together. Firstly, as early as in 2009 an UNICEF Study on multiculturalism and inter-ethnic relations in education32 identified a downward trend of multilingual schools and of the number of students taught in different languages who are attending multilingual schools, and instead, the number of monolingual schools is rising. The same can be corroborated in the 2012 Baseline study about inter-ethic integration in education,33 done as part of the USAID Project on inter-ethnic integration in education (IIEP). Namely, the

25 The Concept of nine-year primary education – Bureau for the Development of Education, Ministry of Education and Science, 2007 26 The concept of inter-cultural education, MES, 2015 [http://www.mon.gov.mk/images/Koncepcija-mk.pdf] 27 The Education Strategy 2018-2025 with an Action Plan, MES, 2017 28 The concept of inter-cultural education, p. 4 29 The Education Strategy 2018-2025, p. 18 30 Ibid 31 The Law on Primary Education, Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia no. 103/2008, 33/2010, 116/2010, 156/2010, 18/2011, 42/2011, 51/2011, 6/2012, 100/2012, 24/2013, 41/2014, 116/2014, 135/2014, 10/2015, 98/2015 and 145/2015 (Article 3) 32 Petroska-Beska, V., Najcevska, М., Kenig, N., Ballazhi S., Tomovska, A. Study on Multiculturalism and Inter-Ethnic Relations in Education. Skopje: UNICEF Office, 2009 33 Baseline study about inter-ethic integration in education, [http://mk.pmio.mk/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/IIEP-BASELINE- STUDY_MAC.pdf] 12

research suggests that most students study in monolingual schools, and, as a result, do not have opportunities for mutual interaction. Even students from different languages of instruction in multilingual schools do not necessarily have a guaranteed contact opportunity since they study in different buildings (central as opposed to satellite schools), in different parts of the same building or in different shifts.34 Оn the other hand, both teachers and parents and even students themselves have an ambivalent attitude towards chances of direct contact with students with different language of instruction.35 Data revealed in the Concept for intercultural education speak in favour of this, referencing to official data from the Ministry of education for the academic year 2014/2015, indicating that only 19% of the total number of schools in the country are bilingual, and 4.75% are trilingual.36 On the other hand, many of the bilingual schools have disproportional number of students with different languages of instruction, and many schools only appear to be multilingual because education in various languages is taught in the different buildings of the same school (central as opposed to satellite schools).37 According to data obtained from the electronic research as part of the USAID Project on inter-ethnic integration in education,38 only 21% of the students with Macedonian language of instruction study in bilingual or trilingual schools, and only 47.6% of students with Albanian language of instruction attend multilingual schools.39 Data shown are clear indicators that help us conclude that students grow in parallel worlds, isolated one from each other, without ample opportunities of mutual contacts. Considering also that in multilingual schools the space-time organization of instruction is organised in a way that it largely prevents contacts between students of different languages of instruction, turns out that the percentage of students learning in different languages who really meet, make friends and work together while at school is truly neglectable. The study titled How to Achieve Integrated Education in the Republic of Macedonia,40 points out that the existing segregation in education system is a result of the efforts for avoiding conflicts between students with different languages of instruction, which, in turn, only enhanced the stereotypes and prejudice towards the ethnically “others”. The 2015 Ohrid Framework Agreement Review on Social Cohesion,41 concerning the area of education states that although the Macedonian Government adopted of some strategic documents for integrated education, still the division upon ethnic lines remains visible even in multilingual schools, with the fact that instruction in the different languages is organised in various shifts.42 This Review also indicates that students in various languages of instruction mainly communicate between each other through extra- curricular activities, supported by foreign donors.43 Оn the other hand, another identified weakness is the neglected criterion for assessing the content of textbooks from the perspective of multiculturalism and gender equality, so the result are textbooks which do not contribute to the strengthening of the social cohesion.44 Unfortunately, most research indicates the need for intervention in this area in order to enable students to get to know those different to them, and to build a stance of acceptance and respect to all

34 Ibid, p. 32 35 Ibid, 36 The concept of inter-cultural education, p. 6 37 Ibid, стр.7 38 Report from electronic study on implementation of the IIEP, [http://pmio.mk/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Electronic-survey-report-MAK.pdf] 39 Ibid, стр.7 40 Bakiu, B., Dimitrova, М. & Brava, А.: How to Achieve Integrated Education in the Republic of Macedonia: Dialogues of a Vision, 2016, available at: http://epi.org.mk/docs/D4V_Social%20cohesion_mk.pdf 41 Ohrid Framework Agreement Review on Social Cohesion (МES, 2015) http://www.siofa.gov.mk/data/file/dokumenti/ATT01290.docx 42 Ohrid Framework Agreement Review on Social Cohesion, p. 39 43Ibid 44Ibid, p.40 13

differences, not only through direct contacts, but also indirectly through what is offered in textbooks and through the curricula and programs themselves. The mentioned UNICEF 2009 study on Multiculturalism in Education suggests that multiculturalism, that is, the possibility for members of different communities to learn something about each other, is provided for in the curriculum of the nine-year primary education about all through the elective subjects.45 But the question is whether such elective subjects are selected at all in schools, and whether the procedure for selecting an elective subject is consistently respected. The Study further analyses the required reading list, and emphasizes that in primary education, students with Macedonian language of instruction can only read one book by author belonging to the Turkish community, one of the Serbian, and not a single one from the Albanian.46 No major changes are expected either in the required reading list for the academic year (2018/19), published on the webpage of the Bureau for Development of Education.47 Other issues with textbooks that the Study indicates are: a) building ethnocentrism rather than providing grounds for adopting a civic, i.e. national identity, b) the absence of content, characters, paintings and authors for learning about the culture and tradition of the other ethnic communities and the perception of the common basis; c) the textbooks fail to promote any form of interaction between members of different ethnic communities, but fosters parallelism along the ethnic lines. The Bureau for the Development of Education in 2010 prepared a Concept for drafting a textbook and a methodology for assessing a textbook,48 which incorporates guidelines and demands as to how to incorporate better the multicultural perspective in almost all textbooks, but again what is missing is a mechanism for practical implementation of these recommendations. A more recent study titled From Ethnic to Civic Nationalism through Primary Education,49 prepared by the Centre for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution, reveals that textbooks in primary education in Macedonian and Albanian language of instruction contribute to the development of ethnic nationalism, in terms of both their content and approach. Series of scientific research speak about the importance of the content of curricula and its effect on inter-group relations. The broader contacts (when members of different communities have no contact, but learn about each other through different teaching units) have shown a positive effect when researchers were reading students stories about different kinds of interaction among members of different groups,50 and during discussion following book readings which had cross-group contacts.51 The broader contact adds to its importance as a tool which can be used in the ethnically homogenous environments, while in the heterogenic environments it can be used to better prepare groups for direct interaction.52 We need to pay special attention in our education system to the use of different languages of instruction. Presently five different languages are used (Macedonian, Albanian, Turkish, Serbian and, as of recently, Bosnian). But, in conditions when students can only speak their native language and not the other languages, the very contacts between members of different communities become difficult since there is no common language. Stemming from this problem, the Strategy titled Steps toward integrated education in the education system of the Republic of Macedonia53 recommends a more serious approach to the language, issue, so that students with different language of instruction to Macedonian would start learning it as early as in first grade primary school, and students with Macedonian language of instruction would

45 Petroska-Beska, V., et al. Study on Multiculturalism, р.31 46 Ibid, стр.42 47 https://www.bro.gov.mk/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Список-со-лектири-од-второ-до-деветто-одделение-мкд.pdf 48 Concept for drafting a textbook and a methodology for assessing a textbook, Bureau for Development of Education, Skopje, 2010 49 Petroska-Beska, V. and Najchevska M. (2018) From Ethnic to Civic Nationalism, Skopje: Centre for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution 50 Lindsey Cameron and Adam Rutland, Extended Contact through Story Reading in School: Reducing Children’s Prejudice toward the Disabled, Journal of Social Issues, Vol. 62, No. 3, 2006, pp. 469--488 51 Vezzali, L., Capozza, D., Stathi, S., & Giovannini, D. (2012). Increasing outgroup trust, reduced infrahumanization, and enhancing future contact intentions via imagined intergroup contact (Vol. 48). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2011.09.008 52Ibid. 53 Steps toward integrated education in the education system of the Republic of Macedonia, Skopje: MES, 2010 14

start learning the languages of communities as early as possible. With the existing curriculum, the Macedonian language for students with different language of instruction is introduced in the fourth grade, while students studying in Macedonian can choose (as an elective subject) to learn Albanian language, but not the languages of other communities, starting from the sixth grade. In light of this, in the Concept for Intercultural Education, intercultural education itself can be seen not only in providing education in the mother tongue, but also in the opportunity to learn the language of the other, which would help bring together, integrate and learn more about the members of different communities, but only if schools stimulate the interest in getting to know the language and culture of the “others”, from our immediate surroundings.54 Analysis of public policies framework Strategic priorities of the Government of the Republic of Macedonia in 2019.55 This document, among other strategic priorities envisages reforms in education, such as development of integrated education system. The Government Program 2017-2020,56 identifies education as a significant link for the attainment of the “one society for all” concept. Furthermore, it says that one of the main objectives will be to develop a tolerant society by supporting programs and measures in education that will promote communication between youth. The 2019-2021 Strategic Plan of the MES57 elicits, among other priorities for the indicated period, also the reforms in primary and secondary education, with several defined targets, among which is also improving interethnic integration in primary and secondary school. According to the Country report of the European Commission for 2018,58 in the education area the EC states that the country has made a moderate progress by adopting the Comprehensive Education Strategy. Recommendations for 2018 are directed at: а) implementing the new strategy; b) increasing support to training of teachers and their career development, and c) improved access to quality education to children with disabilities and children of the Roma community. Specific strategic documents in education area In the past ten years, three different strategies in the field of education have been adopted. Steps towards integrated education in the education system of the Republic of Macedonia, is a strategy prepared by a team comprised of representatives of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities and the Ministry of Education and Science of RM. The strategy was adopted by the Government in 2010 as an attempt to overcome the divisions in the education system through various measures. The Concept for Intercultural Education was prepared by an expert team from the Nansen Dialogue Centre in Skopje and was adopted by the MES in early 2016. The concept identifies multiple areas in which measures need to be taken to address the existing divides upon language and ethnic lines. The Education Strategy 2018-2025 and its Action Plan are the latest strategic documents in education, adopted by the Government in January 2018. The thing of particular importance in this Strategy is that the role of education is clearly emphasized for improving inter-ethnic integration and social cohesion. The Strategy is also called comprehensive, which is best seen through its aims and objectives. Among other, the strategy aims at “adapting and consistently implementing the concept of inclusive and multicultural education with a focus on democratic values, human rights, gender equality, respect for diversities on any grounds, and supporting ethnic cohesion.”59 In other words, this strategy truly aims at developing one society for all. On the other hand, when identifying the main challenges in primary education, the strategy highlights, among others: i) In multilingual schools,

54 The concept of inter-cultural education, p. 27 55 Government of the Republic of Macedonia, 2018. Decision on the Strategic priorities of the Government of the Republic of Macedonia in 2019. Skopje: Official Gazette of RM, no. 84 from 9.5.2018 56 https://vlada.gov.mk/programa 57http://mon.gov.mk/images/Florentin_MON/%D0%90%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%81%D0%B8%D1%98%D0% B0/%D0%A1%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B5%D1%88%D0%BA%D0%B8_%D0%BF%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%BD__2019- 2021_-_1.pdf 58 County Report of the EC for 2018, available at: https://bit.ly/2qJP0Kv 59 Strategy for Education 2018-2025, p.24 15

students are divided based on the language of instruction (schools are organised in different shifts, buildings, floors, different administration etc.), due to which they do not have sufficient opportunities for interaction; there is insufficient multicultural/intercultural education in curricular and extracurricular activities, as well as in some of the textbooks. Teachers themselves do not promote sufficient respect for diversity and equality (in terms of gender or ethnicity, social status, intellectual and physical abilities), as well as to multiculturalism; ii) measures to overcome divisions upon ethnic lines in schools are insufficient and segregation in schools affects social cohesion and interethnic integration; iii) a large number of Roma students are outside the education system. There is also a high percentage of drop-out from school and low level of literacy among Roma children. The following reasons are stated as most common: insufficient knowledge of the Macedonian language, the low level of education of the parents and the poor social and economic status; iv) some of the classes have too many students, and some municipalities do not observe the rules for enrolment in schools located in the same region as the place of residence, which is one of the strongest factors for segregation in primary education.60 Analysis of the area of activity and services delivered Primary and secondary school education are mandatory and free of charge. Primary education lasts 9 years (children aged 6-14), whereas secondary school education lasts 3 or 4 years (ages 15-17/18). Languages of instruction in primary schools are Macedonian, Albanian, Turkish, Serbian and Bosnian, while in secondary schools they are Macedonian, Albanian and Turkish. The curricula and content of the compulsory subjects, even the elective ones, often make references to universal values such as tolerance, respect for diversity, etc., but this is too little if we take into account the need for intensive intercultural communication between members of all communities. For this reason, in the past two decades, various NGOs with financial assistance from international organizations have implemented numerous projects in the field of education with a view to creating a more tolerant and inclusive society, and to achieve greater social cohesion and interethnic integration. Some of the larger and longer-lasting projects were the Nansen Model for Integrated Education implemented by the Nansen Dialogue Centre (NDC) Skopje, which was implemented in 10 primary schools as of 2008, and in two secondary schools as of 2010. The model consists of implementation of integrated bilingual extracurricular content by a team of teachers, which helps students develop positive feelings and attitudes about the “others” and helps train them better for living together. The model has prepared annual extra-curricular programs61 with activities for all ages in primary and secondary education. With the adoption of the Concept for Intercultural Education in 2016, the MES renamed the Nansen Model for Integrated Education into the Nansen Model for Intercultural Education (NMIE).62 Presently NMIE is implemented in 10 schools (7 primary and 3 secondary), and additionally project activities from the intercultural Education Concept are applied in 5 schools (4 primary and one secondary).63 As of 2012 NDC Skopje, in cooperation with MES opened a Training Centre that offers continued training in inter-cultural competences for teachers. Another project is the USAID Inter-ethnic Integration in Education Project (IIEP).64 It was implemented from 2012 to 2017 by the Macedonian Civic Education Centre (MCGO) in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science, the Bureau for Development of Education, the State Education Inspectorate, the State Examinations Centre, all the municipalities as well as eight civil society organisations, and it encompassed all primary and secondary schools with the general aim of creating a political, social and economic climate for achieving a sustainable inter-ethnic integration within the schools and institutions of the system. The Project helped develop successful models for undertaking joint student activities (short- term and long-term) as extracurricular activities in all possible environments (multilingual schools,

60 Ibid, p. 36, 37 61 https://nmie.org/publications/ 62 https://nmie.org/about-the-nansen-model-for-intercultural-education/ 63 https://nmie.org/mk/uculista/ 64 http://pmio.mk/ 16

monolingual schools in heterogeneous environments as well as monolingual schools in homogeneous environments by introducing cooperation with partner schools). Moreover, the project successfully tested models for holding joint teaching activities in various subjects (foreign languages, sports, and joint lessons in lower-grades primary education). The IIEP project also helped introduce some systemic solutions, such as: a) with the help of MKGO and OSCE a Working Group was developed for multi-ethnic integration in education within the MES, which also features representatives of all education institutions, with the aim of monitoring, measuring, supporting and promoting the process of interethnic integration in education. On 11.07.2016 the MES amended the Law on Primary Education with a new Article 34-c, introducing financial support to schools for organising activities that contribute to the promotion and development of multiculturalism, interethnic tolerance and integration; b) in partnership with the State Education Inspectorate, the Handbook on integral evaluation of schools65 was extended, adding therein the indicators for IIE (interethnic integration in education), and also modifying the IIE instruments; c) in cooperation with the State Examinations Centre (SEC) the IIE concept was incorporated in the national examination for primary and secondary school principals as well as institutions with separate IIE module as part of the training. The USAID Inter-ethnic Integration in Education Project66 is a five-year project which began to be implemented in 2017 by MCGO in cooperation with MES and the other key stakeholder education institutions with the objective of institutional improvement of interethnic integration via interaction of ethnically mixed youth at school and community level, and improving the content in civic education, skills and conduct and volunteering practices among youth. The project involves all primary and secondary schools and all the municipalities in the country. Analysis of the external and internal setting Within the MES, there are several institutions responsible for various aspects of the education process. But when it comes to inter-ethnic integration, on how the system of education and its institutions systematically addresses the problem of division in education along ethnic/language lines, there is no single body that is exclusively responsible for this task. Thus, in the absence of internal organization of the institutions of the system, the existing gap in that part is constantly being filled from the outside, by the international community initiating various initiatives in the field of interethnic integration/multicultural education/intercultural education. We need to consider involving the parents as much as possible in the process of education and organising certain activities in schools. From past experiences, parents show willingness to even participate in workshops with their children. Such workshops in multilingual schools can always be held with the participation of students with different languages of instruction. On the other hand, equally important factor to the revival of all changes and proposed measures are the teachers themselves. Pupils learn from them and their attitudes on sensitive topics (such as the relationships among communities), and consider them as role models, they identify with them and their attitudes, and this is especially important to keep in mind in monolingual environments. Teacher competences for work in sensitive environments where intensive intercultural communication should take place are highlighted as very important in all education strategies and concepts and have so far been covered and enabled by external projects, while the MES has, so far, been endorsing these activities. Conclusions about the state of play/challenges Several conclusions can be drawn from the analysis of state of play in the introductory part, the purpose of which could be to improve the situation already presented in the analysis. Firstly, the working group for integrated education within the MES, which includes individuals from different institutional and non-government organizations, is a good practice, but it seems that real changes would be introduced if MES would create a special department that would holistically deal with problems arising from the linguistic and

65 Link for integral evaluation (http://dpi.mon.gov.mk/index.php/integral-evaluation/indikatori-za-kvalitet-na-rabotata) 66 http://mk.mcgo.org.mk/projects/usaid-yei/ 17

ethnic divide in the education. Second, there is a trend of segregation upon linguistic/ethnic basis. Students with different languages of instruction (belonging to different ethnicities) don’t have many opportunities for communication through direct contact with the “others”. So most important is the communication and cooperation between students and teachers from different communities, but for this teachers must have developed intercultural competencies tailored to the needs of the educational model. Third, students with different languages of instruction are less able to understand each other by using their own mother tongue, so often English is becoming the means of communication of youth. The offered elective subjects that enable students to learn the language and culture of most ethnic communities in reality are not taught, so the study of languages of the ethnic communities remains closed in one’s own ethnicity - there is no interculturalism. Fourth, since most students are learning in monolingual schools without a real opportunity to contact students from other communities, it is extremely important what kind of curricula and contents we shall have, and what will the content of textbooks be like. Fifth, the municipalities, as founders of schools, need to reinforce and strengthen their capacities and mechanism for supporting quality education and interethnic integration.

2.2.2. Key priorities and objectives In the education area three priorities and respective objective and activities have been identified. Priority 1: Ensuring interaction between students of different ethnic communities, and of different language of instruction in primary and secondary schools. The following objectives are identified in order to achieve the indicated priority:  Increased interaction between students of different backgrounds/language of instruction by joint extra-curricular activities in schools,  Increased interaction between students of different backgrounds/language of instruction by curricular activities in at least two different subjects in schools,  Increasing mutual cooperation between different municipal and central schools,  Increasing cooperation between teachers with different languages of instruction,  Improving cooperation between schools-parents-children Priority 2: Improving learning the language of “others” The following objectives are identified in order to achieve the indicated priority:  Improving Macedonian language acquisition by students having different language of instruction  Enabling basic acquisition and communication in other communities’ languages by Macedonian speaking students

Priority 3: Reinforcing multicultural content in text books The following objectives are identified in order to achieve the indicated priority:  Revised text books with a view to learn about the culture of “others” and respect to diversities  Introduce novel project activities in order to learn about all the communities’ culture and tradition.

18

2.3. Local self-government 2.3.1. Analysis of state of play Introduction – assessment of the state of play The objective of increased decentralisation is strengthening local democracy and bringing institutions closer to citizens. This entails establishing an adequate institutional infrastructure that will work together with its citizens to resolve local problems, taking account of their different needs. Nevertheless, ever since the decentralization process began in 2005 until present day, although general progress has been noted in terms of strengthened capacities of municipalities, this development is not balanced between the administrative regions and municipalities, in spite of the multitude of adopted solid legislation and strategies. A general challenge has been implementation of laws and strategies by all local communities with equal capacity and achieving balanced economic development and social cohesion. The most critical point is fiscal decentralization and transparent and equitable distribution of local government units’ funds.67 This issue is of key importance since the discrepancy in distribution of resources which overlap with areas populated by various communities may disrupt the confidence among communities.68 The lack of municipal capacities also reflects on the limited cooperation with the NGO sector and citizens. The conclusion of the EC in its 2018 Report is that the local government suffers from continued lack of capacities for cooperation with the NGO sector.69 Hence, there is a tremendous need for serious planning, and providing of technical, financial and expert assistance to every municipality for developing institutional relations and mechanisms for cooperation and consultation of the local self-government units with their citizens.

Analysis of public policy framework The Ohrid Framework Agreement is an important cornerstone for starting the decentralisation process in North Macedonia. As a result of the Ohrid Framework Agreement, the Law on Local Self-Government was adopted in 2002, then the Law on Territorial Organisation of the Local Self-government, the Law on the City of Skopje and the Law on Financing the Local Self-Government Units in 2004, which constitute the most important legal acts for the operation of local government units and implementation of the decentralisation process. As a result of these laws, the number of local self-government units was reduced to 84 plus the City of Skopje. In 2005 began the delegation of competences to local self-government units as well as the fiscal decentralisation.70 Other important laws which influenced the establishment and promotion of local self- government and decentralization are: the Law on Balanced Regional Development from 2007, the Law on Inter-Municipal Cooperation from 2009, as well as the Law on the State Inspectorate for Local Self- Government from 2010. Until 2012 all the communities with the exception of Municipality of Plasnica have entered the second phase of fiscal decentralisation71, which means that they administer and fund their decentralised competences in the areas of culture, education, child and social care.72 In 2014, the number of local self-government units was reduced to 80, plus the City of Skopje.73

In accordance with the Government Program for 2019, in the course of the year the Ministry of Local Self-government has been tasked with assessing the implementation of the Law on Local Self-Government, in order to double-check whether its general and specific objectives have been adopted.74 The assessment is

67 Ohrid Framework Agreement review on Social Cohesion, SIOFA, 2015 68 Ibid 69 EC Country Report for 2018, p. 9 70 Ohrid Framework Agreement review on Social Cohesion, SIOFA, 2015 71 Ibid 72 Webpage of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of North Macedonia/Fiscal Decentralization https://finance.gov.mk/mk/node/853 73 Ibid 74 Government Work Program for 2019, General Secretariat of the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia, p. 367-368 19

expected to provide clear indicators about the impact of this Law on the development of local self- government and, in line with the results of the assessment, to propose measures for improving the functionality of the local self-government system. However, having in mind that this is a systemic law, any amendments would cause further changes and amendments to other laws that regulate various aspects of the local self-government. The fact that since 2002 amendments have been made in some hundred sectoral laws and secondary legislation that reflect the new competencies of LSGUs in accordance with the Law on Local Self-Government, illustrates in itself the complexity of the decentralization process.75 Looking back, all the legal acts in the area of local self-government have been subject to continuous changes, and precisely these frequent amendments to the legal framework are a clear indicator of the changing dynamics, and the unstable environment in which the local self-government is developing. Contrary to this, according to the same research, the legal framework that regulates areas related to the balanced regional social and economic development and involvement and inclusion, besides the challenges in the general implementation of decentralisation and balanced economic development, places importance on the inclusive approach to the local government units. The legislative framework that regulates areas linked to the balanced social and economic development and integration of the marginalised communities in the work of LSGU are considered to be the main obstacle to the attainment of the concept of financially stable and functional local self-government units.76 Precisely the inconsistent legislative framework that regulates sectoral policies and aligns them with the laws used to establish the system of local self-government is considered to be the main challenge to the Republic of North Macedonia in its accomplishment of the sustainable development objectives. The EC Country Report for 2016 is on the same line with these recommendations,77 which clearly underlines the weaknesses in the legislative framework of the local self-government, recommending that the entire framework be subjected to a process of detailed examination and review. On the other hand, the insertion of the inclusive local growth and development as the priority axis of the Program for Sustainable Development and Decentralisation for 2015-2020 is a solid base for positioning the local government as close to the needs of citizens as possible.78

Key stakeholder institutions and their activities The Ministry of Local Self-Government, the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Education and the local self-government units, in cooperation with ZELS, are the key stakeholders in the development and coordination of local self-government policies. Additionally, municipalities are organising themselves in Development centres of the eight administrative regions for coordinating activities at the regional level. In such a constellation of actors, where we have two different levels of government – central and local with different institutional capacities and institutional culture, the coordination and cooperation among them is a challenge. Therefore, decentralization as a comprehensive process of transformation of the society requires engagement of the institutions at central and local level for precise and clear definition of competencies. Anything other than this only aggravates the process of decentralization and the building of local democracy. One of the objectives of decentralization is improving livelihood of all citizens by meeting their needs at the local level. In this regard, regular consultations with stakeholders, organizing public debates, promoting transparency in the work of the council, should enable and promote the participation of citizens in the process of design and implementation of policies. According to surveys done by UNDP, the local self-government units and the Secretariat for Implementation of the Ohrid

75 Ohrid Framework Agreement Review on Social Cohesion, SIOFA, 2015, р. 58 76 Trenovski, B. et al., Analysis “Good Governance of Municipal Democracy and Civil Participation at the Local Self-Government Level” 2018, p.46-48 77 Report of the EC for RM 2016, available at: https://bit.ly/2jeI2Jk, р. 8 78 Sustainable Local Development and Decentralization Program 2015-2020, revised in 2018, MLSG. http://mls.gov.mk/images/documents/regionalenrazvoj/2.%20%20%20%20Programa%20za%20odrzliv%20lokalen%20ra zvoj%20i%20%20decentralizacija-Revidirana-Precisten%20tekst-MAK-lektor.pdf 20

Framework Agreement, the institutions are facing lack of capacities in the areas of quality human resource management, organizational management and linking of functions at the local and national level with the process of decentralization (vertical and horizontal coordination). Local authorities need to strengthen their organizational capacities in order to improve inter-organizational relations and involve the civil society.

Analysis of the area of activity and services delivered The quality of services at the local level entails accountable municipalities with the appropriate human and financial capacity. The local self-government units in North Macedonia largely do not have sufficient funds to successfully carry out their legal competencies and provide quality services to the citizens.79 This reflects onto the degree of social and economic development in the municipalities and illustrates the differences between mainly the nation’s capital - Skopje and the rest of the municipalities among rural and urban communities, whereby the municipalities outside Skopje and the rural ones denote a lower living standard. This can be observed via several indicators. For instance, concerning isolated settlements, the Skopje and Soutwest region are most striking in terms of the innate isolation80. This is supported by the fact that in 2015 around ¼ оf the municipalities did not have an adopted energy efficiency program, with the highest number of non-adopted programs in the Southwest and Southeast Region81. Most rural areas have no energy efficiency programs, unlike the urban ones.82 Even in case when local efficiency programs are adopted, often it happens that proposed measures are not implemented, due to lack of finance.83 This difference between the Skopje and other regions, rural and urban municipalities, is also visible in the road infrastructure, environmental standards and language policies. Biggest density of local roads is found in the Skopje and Polog Region, and most of the active landfills are in the East region.84 The lack of finance is a hinder for implementation of the local language policies, and this problem is particularly striking in rural environments.85 Generally there is a gap among local self-government units when it comes to generating and accruing own revenues since the rural municipalities manage to generate almost 15% of local income.86 Besides the lack of appropriate capacities of municipalities, another area of weakness is lack of transparency and accountability in their work. One very important finding in this area is the lack of transparency in the distribution of capital investments.87 This is significant as the absence of clear procedures means that funds disbursement for capital investments most often does not follow objective criteria, but political or other type of influence.88 Considering the role of local authorities for achieving the national interests for economic growth and development, obviously there is a need for active inclusion of the Government through specific policies - transfer of more funds and consequently more efficient monitoring mechanisms, with the aim of strengthening the capacities of the local self-government units. Undoubtedly, greater fiscal decentralization goes in parallel with the increase of capacities of local governments to plan and manage the financial assets

79 Government Program 2017-2020. https://vlada.mk/programa/decentralizacija-i-regionalen-razvoj 80 State Statistical Office (2014), Consumption of fuels in households, available at http://www.stat.gov.mk/Publikacii/6.4.15.03.pdf 81 Ana Stojilovska, Analysis of Local Energy Efficiency Programs in Macedonia – Conditions, Challenges, Solutions, Skopje: Analitika 2015, http://www.analyticamk.org/images/Files/Programi_za_EE_final_48a08.pdf 82 Ibid. 83 Ibid. 84 State Statistical Office. Regions in the Republic of Macedonia 2018 http://www.stat.gov.mk/Publikacii/RegionalenGodisnik2018.pdf 85 Jovan Bliznakovski, Local language policies for non-majority communities. Prospects for a more effective implementation. IDSCS 2014 https://idscs.org.mk/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/ljp-nemnozinski-zaednici-mkd.pdf 86 Ohrid Framework Agreement Review on Social Cohesion, SIOFA, 2015 87 Ibid. 88 Ibid. 21

they own. In light of this, the principles of good governance such as transparency, citizen participation, accountability, effectiveness and efficiency should be the main principles of establishing a functional management system. There are many ways of improving social cohesion, especially among youth in multicultural environments, one of which аre joint sports activities.89 Such events could improve inter-ethnic tolerance.90 Other ways are, on one hand, enabling and creating equal conditions for learning the Macedonian language as well as learning the Albanian and the languages of the other communities for the ethnic Macedonians. This idea originates from the IRI research saying that 87% of respondents speak Macedonian, while the use of the other languages is a lot lower.91

Stakeholder analysis Improved work of municipalities requires regular consultations, exchange and cooperation between municipalities and the municipal and other institutions. ZELS holds that it should be consulted on budget and legislative matters affecting the local self-government units.92 Moreover, ZELS is proposing regular meetings between them and the Government and ministries that are transferring earmarked grants, budget allocations and capital grants in order to analyse results and discuss future solutions.93 ZELS also addresses to the central government its requirements related to issues of unbalanced development of municipalities.94 This denotes that ZELS as a representative of the local self-government units is, on one hand, not well- enough established as a platform for consultation and cooperation between municipalities, and on the other is not a powerful player that could, side-by-side with the Government and the ministries, take decisions on municipal laws and budgets. Concerning relations between communities at the local level of interest to multicultural municipalities, the Commissions for Inter-Community Relations (CICRs), and the Agency for Community Rights Realisation (ACRR) are the relevant institutions which should contribute to stable interethnic relations at the local level and to ensure social cohesion. Regarding CICR, research shows that donors have a limited impact on encouraging municipalities, since enthusiasm vanishes as soon as donor funds are acquired.95 The thing which is lacking, beyond any doubt, is the provision of mechanisms for supporting the work of commissions at the local level, determining the procedure for electing members of CICRs and involving citizens in the joint initiatives, with a special emphasis on the smaller ethnic communities, and all other categories of citizens from the marginalised groups. Moreover, the awareness of mayors should be increased about the benefits of CIRCs’ work so as not to perceive it as a threat, according to the IRZ research.96 According to the same research, the process of selection of CIRC members is not clear enough.97 The Agency for Community Rights Realisation (ACRR), as a special institutional mechanism for the monitoring, promotion and implementation of the constitutionally guaranteed rights of the smaller communities started operation in 2009, but the first visible effects of its work came to play in 2014, when significant progress was achieved in the supervision of rights of communities. Still, there is a pressing need to

89 Vera Simovska, The Impact of Civil Society in the Policymaking Process in the Republic of Macedonia, 2019 90 Ibid. 91 IRI, Macedonia National Survey. 2018 https://www.iri.org/sites/default/files/iri_macedonia_july_2018_poll_public_final.pdf 92 ZELS, Consolidated positions, 2018 http://www.zels.org.mk/Upload/Content/Documents/Dokumenti/%D0%9C%D0%9A/2018/FINAL- %20SISTEMATIZIRANI%20STAVOVI%20na%20ZELS%202018.pdf 93 Ibid 94 Ibid 95 Enhancing the capacities of the Commission for inter-community relations (CIRC) in the municipality of Saraj, ZIP institute, 2015. http://zipinstitute.mk/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/CICR-Publication_ENG_Version_ZIP.pdf. p.9 96 IRZ Policy Research, Commission on Inter-Community relations, 2011 https://www.nvosorabotka.gov.mk/sites/default/files/analiza-na-politiki-komisii-za-odnosi-megju-zaednicite.pdf 97 Ibid 22

coordinate better the work of the ACRR and two other important stakeholders which are the Directorate for Affirmation and Promotion of the Culture of the Members of Communities (DAPCMC), and the Directorate for Development and Promotion of Education of the Members of the Communities (DDPEMC). Coordination should be preceded by another very important process, which is the strengthening of capacities and avoiding the inconsistencies of the legal framework that concern the competences for protection and enforcement of the rights of members of the communities.

Additionally, the Law on Equal Opportunities for Men and Women and the local self-government units are bound to adhere by the principle of equal opportunities and to prepare an annual plan, at the same time including the gender equality aspect in the drafting of their strategies and budget. The local self- government units should establish commissions for equal opportunities for women and men as a permanent bodies. Important achievements of the gender equality efforts of importance to the local community are gender quotas in the local councils and the 4 women mayors elected in 2013.98 Although progress has been made in the gender equality area, more efforts are needed to achieve real equality between genders in managerial positions in the local self-government units. Part of the remarks linked to the implementation of the Law on Equal Opportunities of relevance for the municipalities is the need to develop action plans for its implementation.99

Analysis of the environment (external and internal) There is no structured mechanism for cooperation of local self-government units with the civil society. This cooperation depends on the interest of both sides and happens on voluntary base. An important step ahead is the adoption of the Law on Free Access to Information of Public Character which is extensively used by the civil society for accessing public data, but in reality there are challenges with the implementation of this law.100 However, although this Law grants the civil society wider access to state institutions, this cooperation is becoming passive since it turns into one-way informing of the civil society about the work of institutions. Precisely the civil society organisations, associations and foundations have a vast potential to influence policies at the local level. If national authorities sometimes seem unreachable, the local ones are easier to approach and are most often open for cooperation. However, experience so far in North Macedonia has shown that cooperation with civil society organisations as stakeholders is most fruitful when foreign donors are the intermediaries of cooperation in the areas of local governance and development,101 which directly impacts the sustainability of good practices. Although closer to the local population with a great potential to address the diverse needs of the citizens, especially the marginalized communities and people with disabilities, the indicated deficiencies in capacities are the main hindrance for municipalities to be the first instance to the local community, but also the different municipal capacities have resulted into different levels of quality of services to its citizens. In 2018 the Law on Financing the Units of Local Government and Budget Users Established by the LSGUs was adopted, for funding matured payables that will cover 51% of the total reported amount of municipalities with budget funds, and this Law holds relevant information about the level of debt of municipalities.102 Municipalities which have the highest debt are Ohrid, Tetovo, Karposh, Bitola, Struga and Kumanovo,

98 Liljana Popovska, Assembly Commission for Equal Opportunities for Women and Men 2013. https://www.sobranie.mk/WBStorage/Files/KEMBroshura.pdf 99 ZELS, Members of the commission on equal opportunities in municipalities increase knowledge about gender responsible budgeting http://www.zels.org.mk/Default.aspx?newsArchive=a56cef60-8f5a-4c6d-b5a4- c571f7d47d18&ln=3&year=2015&fbclid=IwAR0n4ipzJQQxdsCp0qfJjAZ0ZSivOsRztOdavimgquJbTYxmuGxJzsHRr88 100 Magdalena Lembovska, Andreja Bogdanovski, (2017) Monitoring Report of the work of the Commission for Protection of the Right to Free Access to Information of Public Character and the Directorate for Personal Data Protection, Analitika 2017. http://www.analyticamk.org/images/2017/zashtita-izveshtaj-interactive_ac277.pdf 101 The Swiss Development Cooperation, UNDP, and the EU via the IPA program are some of the most influential donors in Macedonia in the area of decentralisation. 102 Official Gazette no. 209, November 15th 2018 http://www.slvesnik.com.mk/Issues/9a06be4547724f25a5086e9573dfd0be.pdf 23

whereas municipality of Valandovo has the lowest debt level.103 If we are to look at these municipalities from the perspective of representation of ethnic communities, we can see that among the 15 municipalities with a debt higher than 100,000,000 mkd, in 8 of them there is at least one more language of the communities with a status of official language at the municipal level.104 Considering that such municipalities in total are only 31, we can conclude that municipalities with a higher representation of minority communities are proportionally more affected by the level of debt of the respective municipalities. Such a disbalance of financial resources of municipalities is also visible in the income and grants to municipalities. The rural municipalities have lower local tax rates which makes them more dependant on central-level grants.105 Likewise, rural municipalities in 2012 had lower income per capita than the urban municipalities and those within Skopje.106 There’s a difference between capital grants for elementary education in Saraj, Kisela Voda, Staro Nagorichane and Brvenica with 26 mkd per capita for this purpose, compared to Vevchani which has 27,436 mkd per capita.107 Concerning grants for high schools, the municipalities of Shuto Orizari and Butel received the highest amount per capita for the 2006-2015 period.108 Regarding capital grants from the Ministry of Transport and Communications in 2005-2014 period, the following municipalities received the most per capita: Gradsko, Novaci and Pehchevo.109 This shows that citizens at the local level receive different quality of services, especially citizens in the rural and multicultural municipalities, which often receive lower amounts of grants.

Conclusion about state of play / challenges The state of play in the area of local self-government demonstrated the main challenges faced by this level of government. Additional to the series of reforms undertaken by the OFA, the Constitutional changes in 2001, of which the decentralization of power was the crucial, the local government has failed in delivering the declarative commitments for creating an ambiance and environment for practicing local democracy. Several main conclusions resulting from the analysis are: - Absence of functional mechanism for cooperation and exchange between the LSGUs - Absence of partner relationship between municipalities and the civil society - Low level of transparency of municipalities - Weak capacities of municipalities for delivering high quality services - Neglected needs of different groups of citizens at the local level, especially of marginalised communities What is needed is providing equal access to local services for all citizens regardless of their social and economic status, sex, ethnicity and religious affiliation, and especially for the marginalized and vulnerable groups, at the same time strengthening the capacities and partnerships of municipalities for them to better service the needs of the local population.

2.3.2 Key priorities and objectives

Priority 1. Advancing local democracy and creating equal opportunities for all Objective 1.1. Establish effective mechanisms/platforms for cooperation and mutual understanding between all communities at local level

103 Ibid. 104 Ibid. 105 Ohrid Framework Agreement Review on Social Cohesion, SIOFA, 2015 106 Ibid. 107 Ibid. 108 Ibid. 109 Ibid. 24

Objective 1.2. Strengthen partnership between municipalities and citizens towards their well-being Objective 1.3. Increased transparency and accountability of municipalities

Priority 2. Ensuring equitable access to services at local level Objective 2.1. Enhance institutional capacities to deliver public services at local level in line with citizens needs Objective 2.2. Increase cooperation between municipalities towards finding innovative solutions to citizens’ needs Objective 2.3. Increase accessibility of public services to persons with disabilities and marginalized groups

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2.4 Culture 2.4.1. Analysis of state of play

Introduction – assessment of the state of play In the past thirty years, the Macedonian society has been working hard on its own disintegration. Positioned between two extremes, those declared and those actually implemented, it managed to disaggregate and divide the people internally along all possible lines. The result of this is that our society has lost its binding and linking (cohesive) forces, and, as such it can no longer produce structures that can reasonably and convincingly enough explain the reality from which such structures have originated and persisted. This impedes all efforts to define society as a consistent system that produces meaning, reason and values. This is especially true for the area of social improvements, of which the culture is the most important and most visible part. In such a state, one cannot but speak of the driving force of every society or any change in it - the crisis, perceived as: the turning point towards change, through the adoption/reaching of important and difficult decisions.110 Due to this, any subsequent decision must consider the effort of the society to start rethinking itself through the prism of its entirety (wholeness) through the concept and strategy of “equal possibilities for all” because there is no other form and organisation of the society but its wholeness. Bu placing such a strategic objective, we must necessarily start deeply pondering about the social conditions by analysing and assessing the state of play.

Analysis of public policy framework The timeframe of five years projected for this analysis covers three completely different policy frameworks, of which: the first is subject to critical assessment; the second is subject to critical assumption, and the third is subject to critical rounding off. They embody the essential intention for conceptual and practical shaping of the (expected) ideological positioning and identification of priority ambitions for social development, and, above all, for culture and art to be given functions and tools that will contribute to understanding the complex Macedonian social and cultural tissue. Thus forth, the first framework has been rounded off with the “National Strategy for Development of Culture in the Republic of Macedonia for the 2013-2017 period”111 which still primarily holds the fundamental concept of “national interest”, that is, the determination and understanding of what and which is the culture that needs to be further developed, which is within the frameworks of the concept of multiculturalism and societal development. But, what is worth mentioning is that in this document, the category and notion of multiculturalism almost doesn’t exist in the official documents on cultural and public policies. So, this notion does not appear in the first law on Culture adopted in 1998,112 whereas in its further amendments (all the way to 2018)113 it only appears twice, in Article 10, line 2, which says that, within the national strategy, concerning “projects in culture that are of national interest for which budgetary funds have been allocated in the current year”, importance should be placed on the “multicultural dimension and character of the society”. Therefore, an entire Chapter on multiculturalism concept was dedicated to this topic, although as late as in 2013, in the “National Strategy for Development of Culture in the Republic of

110 Concerning and in Macedonian conditions, Ivanov further stipulates the crisis as: “Experience of systemic, long hampered and obstructed aspirations for changes in the manner of reaching personal decisions and making collective choices regarding the desirable social goals”, that is, in it he affirms the essential for the non-effectuation of changes – their obstruction, the obstruction of the aspiration for changes. Bojan Ivanov, “Foreword” to: Miroslav Grchev, Sparks According to Uncle Marko Cepenko, Теmplum, Skopje, 2018, (no page). 111 Ministry of Culture, “National Strategy for Development of Culture in the Republic of Macedonia for the 2013-2017 period”, January 2013 [http://kultura.gov.mk/nacionalna-strategija-za-razvoj-na-kultura/; accessed on 20.03.2019] 112 Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, “Decree for Promulgation of the Law on Culture”, 24.06.1998 [http://kultura.gov.mk/wp- content/uploads/2019/02/Zakon-za-kulturata-31_98.pdf; accessed on 26.03.2019]. 113 http://arhiva.kultura.gov.mk/index.php/legislativa/2011-03-04-10-39-07/287-zakon-za-kulturata [accessed on 24.03.2019] 26

Macedonia for 2013-2017” which reads as follows: “2.4. Harmonisation of policies of cultural diversity, integration, multiculturalism and interculturalism” is one of its common goals. Considering the previous attempts to define the Macedonian society as multicultural, and hence the approach towards the concept of multiculturalism as support to the existence of many different cultural or ethnic groups within the society without them developing or nurturing appropriate connections and ties, this concept has become the fundamental reason for the division of Macedonian society. Calling upon the rights of, above all, the ethnic groups, a situation has occurred of a sort of parallelism in the society.114 This has showed that society is moving towards supporting and building two different contexts which do not establish mutual links. Thus, the idea of practicing the concept of multiculturalism (as a strategic concept) has turned into a practice of ethnoculturalism and dual culture, in particular, a kind of party culturalism, in other words, prevalent financing of the members and supporters of the governing political parties. Identifying the weaknesses and problems of such application and practice of multiculturalism, the second framework of public policies tackles the “culture for all” Strategy, at first with the “Government Program for 2017-2020,”115 followed by the “National Strategy for Development of Culture in the Republic of Macedonia in the 2018-2022 period,”116 in which the notion “national interest” is replaced by the notion of “public interest.” This is a result, or a syllogism in itself, which results from the concept “participation and culture for all” which not only implies the right to access to culture, but also to stimulate cultural production, perceived in its broadest sense, ensuring the optimal involvement of all groups and individuals regardless of their professional or other interest. Such a framework shall provide a more equitable and balanced approach to culture, to all so called “marginalised groups.”117 This particularly applies to the principles of equality and non-discrimination of groups that, within the framework of multiculturalism (although formed as social entities), failed to find their place in the wider public discourse and in part of the legislation. Hence, the concept of the strategy “culture for all” (referring to interculturalism) does not abandon them, but provides a platform for “equal opportunities” for them, for a balanced approach and development in mutual interaction, with the expectation that it will create better, more effective and more substantive connections for mutual recognition and acceptance, which would overcome the current prevailing practices of ethnocentrism in the culture of the Macedonian society. However, the key element in this National Strategy, and as introduction to the third public policy framework, is the strategic direction and priority for transition “from multi-culture to interculturalism”. It sets the starting frame for introducing interculturalism instead of the current concept of multiculturalism. The National Strategy explicitly defines the framework of interculturalism as follows: “This strategy advocates rather for interculturalism than multiculturalism. Differences should be an incentive for building an intercultural society that will foster togetherness, dialogue and harmonious interplay between cultures. Intercultural ties imply deep respect and understanding for all cultures. Intercultural communication means exchange of ideas, programs and cultural norms, developing links that cannot be easily severed. Everybody

114 One such example is the establishment of Book Fair of Albanian publishers, vs. the Book Fair of Macedonian Publishers. Moreover, the financing of both fairs by the Ministry of Culture precisely called upon that particular multiculturalism, thus ensuring the rights of the Albanian publishers in their efforts to nurture and develop the literary and publishing opus of the Albanians, not only in the Republic Macedonia, but also in the neighbouring republics of Albania and Kosovo. f. Ljupka Litajkova, “Albanian publishers today open their own, parallel Book Fair”, Dnevnik, 17.04.2002 [https://time.mk/arhiva/?d1=01&m1=01&y1=1991&d2=31&m2=12&y2=2012&all=0&dnevnik=1&fulltext=2&timeup=2&show=1&q= албанските%20издавачи%20денеска%20отвораат%20свој%20паралелен%20саем%20на%20книгата&read=e72dd0a2044d51c; accessed on 24.03.2019] 115 Government of the Republic of Macedonia, Government Program 2017-2020, Skopje [https://vlada.mk/sites/default/files/programa/2017-2020/Programa_Vlada_2017-2020_MKD.pdf, accessed on 20.03.2019] 116 Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, National Strategy for Development of Culture in the Republic of Macedonia for 2018-2022 period, Official Gazette of Republic of Macedonia, 81 (8.5.2018) [http://www.slvesnik.com.mk/Issues/8f10a5033d1e49c6bf66e8cedb004fb8.pdf; accessed on 3 April 2019]. 117 This notion includes vulnerable groups of citizens, such as: persons with disabilities, members of the LGBTI community, persons without IDs, migrants and refugees, impoverished, single mothers, bankruptcy workers, etc. 27

changes in an intercultural society, because people from different cultures learn from one another. Their change means changing the state towards better understanding and cooperation. The most dynamic aspects of contemporary culture, and such examples already exist in our country, are derived precisely from the close ties, experiences, inspiration and interweaving of different cultures. Therefore, interculturalism should not be seen as a substitute for multiculturalism, but as a new level in cultural relations. Interculturalism is not a substitute for ethnicity, is not a bare survival, but is – development.”118 In such a situation, the criticism of culture (or, in particular, cultural criticism) of multiculturalism brings to the conclusion that, as Ivanov writes, it appears through the interest for public consensus as a motive: “as the starting point of cultural criticism. It means that the critical approach to the common places of this or that particular cultural entity (community) seeks to recognize, expose and interpret the symptoms, the signs of the epochal geo-cultural trauma (society).”119 Thus, in the collected analysis and interpretations of Petar Atanasov, the substitution of the concept of multiculturalism is shown not only as a need, but as a necessity, as the only possibility precisely for this “elementary fragmentation” to find its way how to be reunited as a whole. Atanasov, after concluding the state of failure of the concept of multiculturalism, unequivocally begins to advocate the use of the concept of interculturalism.120 The extent to which former institutional public policies remain deaf to the experiences and knowledge but also to the warnings of the non-institutional entities is laid down in the example with the “Komshi Kapidzik: Culture and Politics Project. The Arts and Deficit of Sensitivity”, organised and implemented as early as in 2000 by the Association of citizens “359° Network of local and subalternate hermeneutics” from Skopje. This project, in its unique manner pointed to the problematic issue of the very concept of multiculturalism, but also the possibility for its manipulation, even abuse, and even then pointed to the need for radical change of this narrative.121 The Performing Arts Centre “Multimedia” - Skopje has organised a number of projects in this field of research. Amongst the more important ones is the project “Culture debates.”122 The essential part and topic of this Repository is precisely the offered cooperation of the civil society sector with (or via) the “Civic initiative for deciding on a possible strategy for cultural development of the Republic of Macedonia”. Another example is the research undertaken by the same Centre in multi-ethnic communities, that is, in Tetovo, Gostivar and Kichevo. That was published in two languages, as a manual of its own for leading the local cultural policies (in Macedonian and Albanian language).123 In the research projects the Centre has implemented the program titled “Culture from/to all”, organising also a regional conference on the topic of “Rethinking local cultural policies: new identity and new paradigm”. The featured articles from the conference point to the need for a different (local) cultural policy, whose goal would be to strengthen the multicultural concept by means of appropriate decentralisation.124 This perspective of the research also points to the need for decentralization of culture, that was exactly the dilemma to which Robert Alagjozovski was pointing out even earlier, as to, whether this will be/would be a threat or advantage? According to him, in order to improve the situation and relationship between the central and local authorities, they need to network and shape their cooperation, i.e., to build strategic partnership with the independent civil sector,

118 Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, National Strategy for Development of Culture in the Republic of Macedonia for 2018-2022 period, (chapter 4.3.), 12. 119 Bojan Ivanov, “On the Current Thematizations of Crisis in the Social Superstructure“, p. 49. 120 Petar Atanasov, Macedonian Multi-ethnic Knots: the Battle for One or Two Societies, Prosvetno Delo, Skopje, 2017. 121 cf. Branislav Sarkanjac, (Ed.), Komshi Kapidzik: Culture and Politics. The Arts and Deficit of Sensitivity, 359°, Skopje, 2000. 122 Culture Debates. Civic initiative, PAC Мultumedia, Skopje, 2005. 123 Violeta Simjanovska (Ed.), Research results on cultural life in the municipality of Tetovo, Performing Arts Centre Multimedia, Skopje, 2010.; Ibid, Research results on cultural life in the municipality of Gostivar, Performing Arts Centre Multimedia, Skopje.; Ibid, Research results on cultural life in the municipality of Kichevo, Performing Arts Centre Multimedia, Skopje, 2010. 124 Violeta Simjanovska (Ed.) Re-thinking Local Cultural Policy: new identity and new paradigm, PAC Multimedia, Skopje, 2011. 28

“with whom they can find common interests, the local institutions can offer their own infrastructure capacities, whereas the civil society sector could transfer its knowledge.”125 In light of this, the introduction of the concept of interculturalism enshrined in the “National Strategy for Development of Culture in the Republic of Macedonia in the 2018-2022 period” has proved to be a thorough tool for overcoming current conditions.

Key institutions/stakeholders and their activities The leading of cultural policies by the Ministry of Culture, as a thorough institution, in the 2015-2019 period also went through three phases, corresponding to the three previously analysed policy frameworks. The cultural and public policies of the Ministry implemented through the institutes (the various commissions within the Ministry of Culture, the annual competitions for financing projects of national interest or the independent projects of the Ministry) and the institutions (those categorized as national institutions) refer to the situation in the field of culture as a “state of permanent dictate”, that is, as a state in which culture (through the institutions and its institutes) has been used as a tool for implementing, above all, the interests of political parties. In light of the above, considering the projects of the Ministry of Culture, the first phase is characterised by the rounding off, on one hand, of the “Skopje 2014” Project”, and, on the other hand, by projecting and starting the construction of the “Skender Bey” Square. Both projects are reflection and form of ethnocentrism which introduces ethno parallelism.126 The second phase, on the other hand, works on finalising the Project on “Skender Bey” Square, which even more symptomatically leads to the fact that ethnocentrism and individual affirmation of ethnic groups is yet another indicator that the concept of multiculturalism is (mis)used.127 Тhe third phase is characterised by something linked to the two mentioned projects, and that is the initiated revisiting of the “Skopje 2014” Project, but not of the “Skender Bey Square” Project; even later on the revision process seems to have been withdrawn from the focus of interest. The second stage is characterised by the essential changes to the key criterion of “national interest” into “public interest”, introduced in the “National Strategy for Development of Culture in the Republic of Macedonia in the 2018-2022 period” which has set the groundwork for replacing the concept of multiculturalism with the concept of interculturalism. The concrete steps in this direction are, in fact, continuation of the second phase, whereas the third phase is the initiating of the “National Strategy for one Society and Interculturalism“. The establishing of the Directorate for Affirmation and Promotion of the Culture of the Members of Communities denotes a particularly important institution for implementing not only the Ohrid Framework Agreement which regulates the rights of the non-majority communities in the Republic of North Macedonia,128 but also for establishing the Secretariat for the Implementation of the Ohrid Agreement,129 because, above all, it also works on promoting their culture.130 Established back in 2002, this is how the

125 Robert Alagjozovski, “Cultural Decentralization in Macedonia: Chance or threat?” Eurozine, 16 July 2004 [https://www.eurozine.com/cultural-decentralization-in-macedonia-chance-or-threat/; accessed on 28.03.2019]. Further examples and analysis of decentralisation and democratisation cf. Violeta Simjanovska, Culture Debates. Civic Initiative, 143-170; and for decentralization and democratization through the aspects of multiculturalism cf. also, 171-187. 126 Mariglen Demiri, “Skender Bey Square, Mosaic of Ethnocentrism”, web portal Glasnik, 2017 [http://glasnik.mk/plostadot- skenderbeg-mozaik-etnocentrizam/; accessed on 21.08.2017] 127 Nebojsha Vilich, “The retrogradeness of an ideological and politicized (and missed) project - Mariglen Demiri in an interview with Nebojsha Vilich”, Kritika (Skopje) V 1 (8) (2017): 59-64 [https://kritickamisla.wordpress.com/2017/12/10/критика-v1-8/; accessed on 20.03.2019] 128 “Ohrid Agreement”, 13.08..2001 [http://www.siofa.gov.mk/data/file/Ramkoven_dogovor_mk.pdf] 129 http://www.siofa.gov.mk/mk/. The competencies of this Secretariat shall be taken over by the new Ministry for Political System and Inter-community Relations

130 Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, Article 15 of the “Law on Promotion and Protection of Rights of Members of the Communities Comprising less than 20% of the population in the Republic of Macedonia”, Official Gazette of Republic of Macedonia LXIV (92) (22 July 2008), 1-3[http://www.slvesnik.com.mk/Issues/ED8DC7AF8F917D4B9704F49E8EFCD0DB.pdf; accessed on 1 April 29

Directorate defined its main objectives:: affirming and promoting the culture of smaller communities in RM respectively; preservation of identity, culture and customs of the communities in RM and enabling cooperation of all ethnic communities in RM for learning about each other’s culture, customs, language and traditions. However, a glance at employees in the Directorate (until 2008 29 civil servants worked in the Directorate, of which: 26 from the ethnic Albanian community, 1 from the Roma, 1 from the Bosniak and 1 from the Macedonian) is enough to notice that it mainly focuses on the Albanian ethnic community, which leaves the impression of bipolarisation, that is, unbalanced representation of representatives of the other ethnic communities. This is yet another proof of the inadequate application of the concept of multiculturalism, which, given its organisational setup, leads to unequal position of members of the smaller communities.

Analysis of the area of activity and services delivered Despite the adopted laws on culture and proclaimed national strategies, the three policy frameworks are in disharmony between what has been declared and what is really like in practise. The institutional system, starting from the Ministry of Culture, through the Annual competitions for financing programs and projects of national interest, especially in the 2014-2017 period, continued the previously established practice of financing candidates and their projects based on their political party affiliation or sympathy, on the one hand, and partisan employments in the institutions responsible for implementing Government policies and projects, on the other hand.

Analysis of stakeholders In such conditions and environment, the stakeholders (professionals and the associations and entities representing them, as well as the activists and organizers from civil society organisations) with reduced budgets or, most often, without any funding, had to turn to the financing of mainly European funds and foundations. Nevertheless, they showed remarkable activity in filling in the voids, i.e. areas not represented by the state, thus successfully maintaining the quality of the artistic projects. This is especially true for the country's representation outside its borders, mainly in the region, but this cooperation helped them introduce a new generation of cultural workers who managed to network with their regional counterparts.

Analysis of the surrounding (internal and external) Being in an almost similar situation, the environment, exhausted by its own long overdue period of transition and transformation, persistently demonstrates the same systemic and institutional weaknesses. This is evident, for example, in the constant efforts of the international funds and foundations for more intensive regional cooperation, as one of their basic criteria. Thus, looking at the positive side, new opportunities for cooperation have been opened, which established new contacts and connections, as well as networking of, above all, the national associations of citizens (in the first and second phase) and of the national institutions (in the second and third phase). This is of particular importance, because the networks and cooperation of older generations of stakeholders in the culture, due to the Balkan conditions as of 1991 onwards, seem to have been lost and severed, thus the new and young generations were left to themselves. The danger from self-isolation, hence the sense of self-sufficiency (which is fatal for any culture) was partially ameliorated precisely by means of such networking which prompted members of the middle generation of cultural actors and stakeholders to make that generational bridge for the coming generations.

Conclusion about state of play / challenges

2019 [http://kultura.gov.mk/ministerstvo/] The Directorate shall also move to the new Ministry of Political System and Inter- Community Relations. 30

Amidst all these efforts to find a way out of the crisis of modernity and modernization, and based on its own experiences, culture in the Republic of North Macedonia is on a serious and true crossroad. The crossroad reflects precisely the question: How does this intricate and intertwined cultural content and essence define itself in relation to the time and conditions in which it appears? Thus forth, and given that culture is always ahead of its time, surely the proactivity in the idea of “one society for all” brought about by the concept of interculturalism is a serious challenge not only for the Macedonian, but for every other society. Recognizing the disadvantages and failures of and, in particular, the dissatisfaction with the concept of multiculturalism, the new concept of interculturalism is yet another attempt, as a public cultural policy, to meet the prerequisites for the development of a new social strategy for the new social goals, that is, for a new project. The success of achieving this new project as a whole, in which culture has a specific and important role, will certainly depend on the fulfilment not of the particularity of multiculturalism, but of the integrative nature of interculturalism, that is, above all, of the system as a whole. Only that way, the separate “financial, moral, institutional, creative or economic manifestations” could realize their basic function and functionalities, which will also generate the basic benefits of equality and equity, freedom and progress, yielding equal opportunities for all and for everyone.

2.4.2. Key priorities and objectives The following Key Priorities can be identified from the analysis of the state of play in the culture: 1. Creating equal opportunities, full access and inclusion of all citizens in embracing and promoting interculturalism and developing common cultural values and specificities; 2. Affirming and developing mutual respect, understanding and support of cultural diversities in the society where all cultures, based on inter-cultural dialogue, cooperate together and enrich and complement each other

The following Objectives can be identified form the respective Priorities: 1.1. Democratization of culture by developing cohesive and inclusive policies; 1.2. Strength responsibilities, capacities and resources of institutions in the area of culture and art to conceive and implement projects advancing the culture of all; 1.3. Strength the mandate, capacities and resources of the Directorate for Affirmation and Promotion of the Culture of the Members of Communities; 2.1. Subsidize programmes and projects striving to eradicate nationalism, xenophobia, ethnic barriers and discrimination on religious, sex, gender and other grounds; 2.2. Increase the number of inter-cultural programmes and projects at central and local level; 2.3. Increase the support to projects and activities that raise awareness and need for a strong intercultural dialogue, mutual understanding and inclusion, on an equal footing, in mainstream culture and art production, regardless of differences.

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2.5 Youth 2.5.1 Analysis of state of play Introduction The young people of the Republic of North Macedonia are the agents of change in the country, and as such they will insist on moving ahead in the society and building it as they see fit. Youth is the driving engine of modern democracies which should be the “watchful eye” and a constant corrective and carrier of democratic changes and progress in the society. The young population in the RNM is facing serious challenges which are the result of an unfavourable and inconsistent social and economic situation. It has a negative impact on its positive projection of the youth about their future. One of young people's most important challenges is how to find a decent work and how to assert him/herself within the profession and career aspirations. In order for the youth to have the desire and motive for work, they need to be offered the possibility to work, to have real competition, a forum where they would compete with knowledge, ideas and solutions, for them to be left with space and possibility to perform their role and to influence social developments, to stimulate and foster youth activism without any selectiveness applied in the process. In order to prove that the world remains for the youth, our society has to do a lot more than just reiterate the empty commitments for active involvement of young people in the social and economic flows. Such pledges have to remain vocal, but we must listen and understand the challenges and opportunities that can only be offered by young people, through building bridges of friendship and unity. Therefore, it is not only necessary to change the social consciousness, but to take concrete actions and acts, to have the young enthusiasm, aspirations, but above all knowledge, to be operationalized for the overall development of the society. Young people must be involved, so as not to distance themselves from the society.

Strategic documents in the youth area:

The National Youth Strategy131 lays down the main principles and directions for action of all stakeholders in the society which will help improve the social and economic position of youth and create environment that will enable young people exercise their rights, needs and interest. One of the key values and determinations grounded in the strategy is multiculturalism, which is an opportunity for our society to be recognized as a resource and added value to the development of all spheres of social action. According to the National Youth Strategy, one of the strategic priorities is creating conditions for respecting and protecting fundamental rights and freedoms, and systemic integration and interaction of different categories of youth. This is a key aspect that helps young people have equal opportunities regardless of differences and, most importantly, for them to be actively involved in the decision-making process. By developing their potential and learning about others via various means, they contribute to the general development and well- being of the Republic of North Macedonia.

 National Employment Strategy of the Republic of Macedonia 2016-2020;132  Revised Action Plan for youth Employment 2016-2020;133  National Employment Action Plan 2018-2020;134

131 National Youth Strategy of the Republic of Macedonia (https://www.na.org.mk/tl_files/docs/eplus/2018/eksperti/2/NDzM%202016%20-%202025.pdf) 132 Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, “National Employment Strategy of the Republic of Macedonia 2016-2020”, October 2015, http://www.mtsp.gov.mk/content/pdf/strategii/Nacionalna%20Strategija%20za%20Vrabotuvane%20na%20Republika%20Makedonij a%20za%20Vlada%2016102015.pdf. 133 http://www.mtsp.gov.mk/dokumenti.nspx 134 http://www.mtsp.gov.mk/dokumenti.nspx 32

 Operational Plan for active employment programs and measures and services on the labour market for 2019.135 In 2019, the Government, i.e. the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy prepared an Operational Plan for active employment programs measures and services on the labour market for 2019136 which envisage a set of measures, including the youth guarantee (YG) the goal of which is to provide for young people (15-29) employment offer within period of four months, or continued education and training, that is, involving youth in one of the active programs and measures for employment. It is worth mentioning that the Republic of North Macedonia is the only non-EU member state to be implementing the Youth Guarantee.

Key institutions / stakeholders and their activity Agency for Youth and Sports: the Department for Youth is tasked with activities in the field of meeting the interest and needs of youth and their empowerment in the Republic of Macedonia. The Department for Youth carries out its tasks, obligations and mandate in two Units: Unit for Youth Policies and training, and Unit for International Cooperation. The tasks of the Department are: establishing partnership between state authorities and the private sector in the area of youth employment; integration of youth in work processes, regardless of the social and cultural origin; establishing a balance and cooperation between education and training and the labour force demands (matching the demand and supply) and development of new technologies; developing active education policy that will correspond with youth needs. The Ministry of Labour and Social Policy,137 whose mandate is directly related to youth in the field of labour relations, employment and employability, protection of children and minors. From the perspective of youth, the Ministry develops programs for their employment and implements policies for youth employment and acquisition of certain skills for entering the labour market. Employment Service Agency of the Republic of Macedonia,138 the mandate of which is, among others, to improve integration of long-term unemployed young people; support unemployed who are up to 29 years old to set up their own company/start-ups; to hold trainings in entrepreneurship, preparing sustainable business plans, assistance at registration, financial support to businesses; supporting the growth of micro and small enterprises for creating new jobs for young people aged up to 29; training in skills in demand on the labour market, carrier advising and profiling. Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia - Commission on Education, Science and Sports139 which considers issues like education of youth, students and their living standard; establishing international cooperation on issues related to education, science, youth and sports; stimulating the intellectual, cultural and scientific creativity of youth. Ministry of Education and Science140 This Ministry is directly committed to managing education, which mainly addresses young people. The Ministry of Education and Science is directly involved in creating youth policies, by managing the education system, scholarships and youth participation in international education programs. RYCO – Regional Youth Cooperation Office / Local office in RNM141 is an independently functioning inter-governmental institutional mechanism, founded by the six countries in the Western Balkans, aiming to promote cooperation between youth and youth organisations in the region, by providing grants and financial support to projects at the national and regional level, and participation in non-formal education of youth.

135 http://www.mtsp.gov.mk/dokumenti.nspx 136 MLSP (2019). Operational Plan for active employment programs and measures and services on the labour market for 2019, Skopje: Government of RNM, pp. 46-52. 137 http://www.mtsp.gov.mk/pocetna.nspx 138 http://www.avrm.gov.mk/ 139 Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia “Commission for Education, Science and Sports”, n.d., https://www.sobranie.mk/rabotni- tela-2016-2020-ns_article-komisija-za-obrazovanie-nauka-i-sport-16.nspx. 140 http://www.mon.gov.mk/ 141 https://www.rycowb.org/ ; https://www.rycowb.org/?page_id=3184 33

National Agency for European Education Programs and Mobility142 is active in the promotion and implementation of European programs in the area of education, youth and sports in the Republic of Macedonia, administers the “Erasmus+” Program and represents an influential factor in spearheading youth policies, especially in the area of stimulating European trends of youth policies in the Macedonian context. Within the frameworks of all these processes, in order to successfully implement the strategy, a broad involvement of all stakeholders and key actors must be ensured, who will directly or indirectly be active in supporting youth empowerment in the country. All stakeholders must take responsibility for contributing to the implementation of the Strategy, considering the limited available capacity of the institutions. The overall process must provide a horizontal and vertical networking between local and national institutions, the private sector and the youth as the end beneficiaries of this strategy. The Government of the Republic of North Macedonia, as an institution with an executive role, has a pivotal role in ensuring opportunities for implementation of the Strategy. The Agency for Youth and Sports, as the Government body responsible for implementation and coordination at the national level, will have the role of monitoring and reporting on the implementation on a regular basis. Other targeted relevant state institutions that can contribute to the implementation of the strategy are: the Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, Ministry of Culture, primary and secondary schools, universities. The key role here would be played by the civil sector, which needs to direct its capacities in strengthening the youth to be independent and autonomous, to be proactive, to learn from each other, to live together and to be active stakeholders in the social and political development of the Republic of North Macedonia. We should not forget also the local authorities who need to maintain productive and constructive communication and cooperation with the youth and civil society at the local level in order to properly implement the goals and priorities of the document in an inclusive and consultative process.

Assessment of the state of play Nearly thirty years after the establishment of an independent and autonomous state that implements and nurtures the processes of democratization and Europeanization, the status of youth is still not specifically regulated in a legal framework. All that is covered in the existing legislation barely touches upon the issue of the position and the role of the youth, and only states that the Republic of North Macedonia has not yet adopted a lex specialis, that is, there is no specific law regulating the status of the youth, their manner of organizing and registration, the forms of youth action and inclusion in the social processes143. According to the “Study on Youth in the Republic of Macedonia”144 in our country the majority of young people (70%) think they will have a hard time finding a job with the formal education they have. 44 % of them have jobs different to their profession, and only 25% of them are ready to start their own business, a staggering 80% of the young adult generation still live with their parents, and only 51% reach their decisions independently, a bit over half of the young respondents 53% are determined or thinking to leave abroad. It means that to a large extent young people in the country think they have no impact whatsoever on social processes, on the central and local government. We also must mention the unemployment rate of 47.3% of the country’s population145 aged between 15 and 24.146 So almost half the population at that age have no

142 https://www.na.org.mk/index.php/mk/klucna-akcija-1.html 143 The process of drafting of a Law on Youth Participation and Youth Policies was already initiated and in intensely being worked on. This law shall define the needs, rights and obligations of youth. According to information, the Law is to be adopted in the course of 2019 144 Group of professors at UKIM (2016): Study on Youth in the Republic of Macedonia 2016, Skopje: Institute for sociological and juridical-legal researches, Published by: Evropa 92 - Kochani. 145 Jakjimovski Jorde, (2016). Youth and the Labour Market, Skopje: A study on Youth in the Republic of Macedonia 2016, Skopje: Institute for sociological and political – legal researches, Published by: Evropa 92 - Kochani, p. 31. 146 Macedonia in numbers, (2016). Skopje: Publisher: Republic of Macedonia, State Statistical Office, p.61. 34

means of income of its own. In 2015, the number of unemployed people aged up to 29 was 92,792; of which, of the people aged up to 24 - 43,793 were unemployed. According to the latest “Youth Study of North Macedonia 2018/2019” published with the support of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation,147 in the past the dominant ground for inequality was the social and racial belonging, based on which political mobilisation was conducted, but nowadays it manifests via the cultural belonging, if we are to include in this notion the racial, ethnic, religious and language social groups. The study further denotes that the most frequent ground of discrimination is the political belief 12,9%, and ethnic origin 9%, whereas the sexual orientation and language used by youth is the least cause for discrimination. Young people consider that it is exactly the political affiliation of citizens which is the most significant factor for privileged treatment in the society.148 Within these phenomena of discrimination, there is another form which is becoming more rampant and is present precisely among young people, which is the intolerance on social networks, which arises from the intolerance between the majority and other minorities leading to the creation of public space where any difference that deviates from the generally accepted norms is discriminated against. In a period of serious social changes that have been happening for years, although there is a tendency of increasing mental awareness and accepting progressive ideas and new opportunities, there is still a high level of discrimination and stereotype towards the differences that are deeply rooted in the attitudes and everyday lives of young people. This opens a broad field for dealing with all these challenges that policy makers and decision makers need to address, but above all young people as well, in order to eradicate and directly influence these negative forms and trends.

Conclusion about state of play and challenges Based on the aforementioned study, the recommendations for overcoming the negative phenomena and trends need to be applied in the following areas: education (secondary and higher education), sports (mass participation of youth in sports - professional and recreational and increasing the number of young people doing sports, etc.), public and social life of young people (cafes, discos, cinema, theatre plays and other performances), public transport (buses, trains, etc.), religion and faith, formal and non-formal education and the civil sector. Due to these reasons and in a situation of apparent ethnic, social differences and divided society, we need a wide and specialized action from all relevant institutions, civil society organizations, as well as individuals from several areas with a view to overcoming the differences among young people and bringing them together, and for reconciliation in terms of ethnic, social, religious, party, gender and sexual backing. Education, culture, sports and other societal segments available to young people perceived from multiple segments are the ideal modus for encouraging, approximation and familiarizing young people with the values of fair play, respect, diversity, tolerance and unity. The specific activities we recommend are: 1. Adoption of a special Law that will regulate the status of youth, their association and participation in societal processes and its harmonisation with the remaining documents and acts which are in force in the Republic of North Macedonia, 2. Youth organisations are unanimous in their position that they need to act in a joint and concerted manner in order to advocate and represent the interests of the young people in a more successful manner, 3. Relevant state institutions need to involve more youth in the decision making process, represented through: АYS, MES, MLSP and the Government, as well as the Universities in the Republic of North Macedonia, as well as the primary and secondary schools,

147 Topuzovska, Laktovich М., Borota Popovska, М., Serafimovska, Е. Cekich, А. Starova, N. (2019). A study on youth in North Macedonia 2018/2019, Skopje: Friedrich Ebert Foundation - Skopje, printed by bub Bonner Universitats Buchdruckerei, 148 Topuzovska, Laktovich М., Borota Popovska, М., Serafimovska, Е. Cekich, А. Starova, N. (2019). A study on youth in North Macedonia 2018/2019, Skopje: Friedrich Ebert Foundation - Skopje, printed by bub Bonner Universitats Buchdruckerei, p.50 35

4. To underline the non-formal learning for youth with an accent on tolerance, disrespect to others, hate speech and hate crime, as well as interculturalism, 5. There is a need for more quality youth education, especially with a view to changing the curricula and education plans for secondary school as well as university curricula, 6. In cooperation with relevant institutions: MOI, public prosecution, MES, AMSM, to increase safety of youth in public life, sports and other segments where violence occurs among youth, 7. Activities for increasing public awareness, especially among youth, about the essence of notions of religion, politics, faith, and indicating the clear difference among politics and the party and religious belonging, 8. To motivate the Government of RNM about the consistent and precise implementation of the positive measures for raising the quality of young people, especially when it comes to employment, health protection, social and health care and education.

2.5.2 Key priorities and objectives Priority 1. Promoting non-violence, tolerance and intercultural communication among young people and eliminating hate speech/hate crime Objective 1.1. Promoting non-violence, tolerance and intercultural communication among young people and eliminating hate speech/hate crime Priority 2. Reduce ethnocentrism among young people and isolation of different mono-groups, participation in joint activities and interaction Objective 2.1. Improve curricula and methods in primary, secondary and university education, including practical internships in primary and secondary education Objective 2.2. Proper and consistent implementation of “one society for all” and intercultural policies for youth Objective 2.3. Create equal opportunities for young people to participate in decision making Objective 2.4. Establish functional system for detection of hate speech/hate crime at national and local level Objective 2.5. Reduce segregation and discrimination against youth

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2.6 Media 2.6.1. Analysis of state of play Introduction The media are a powerful tool that helps convey and nurture the concept of interculturalism in the society. The definition of media pluralism also includes cultural pluralism, that is, the fair representation and expression of different cultural and social groups in the media. In this sense, as defined in the National Strategy for the Development of Culture in the Republic of North Macedonia in the period 2018-2022,149 cultural identity does not imply only the ethnic communities, but emphasizes the fostering of diversity, which includes groups with different specifics based on different social or class status, gender, sexuality, special needs, etc. The access of different communities to the media is part of their fundamental human right to freedom of expression. Although access to the media, by itself, is not a human right, it is one of the key preconditions for the effective exercise of the right to freedom of expression in practice. The freedom to represent a certain opinion without any interference and the possibility for everyone to receive and impart information and ideas through the media, regardless of the boundaries is also provided for by Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,150 as well as in Article 19 of the International Covenant for Civil and Political Rights.151 Consequently, one of the Government's efforts in the Work Program for 2017-2020152 is to build a multicultural society with a view to a greater intercultural communication and building a spirit of respect and cultural pluralism, which, among other things, implies encouraging program contents that will include representatives of all communities living in the state. The constitutional and legal framework of the Republic of North Macedonia (RNM) safeguards for members of the various cultural communities, their right to freedom of expression, and the right to establish autonomous and independent media. The regulation specifically obliges the public broadcasting service to broadcast various programs intended for all parts of society and to satisfy the informative, educational, cultural and other needs of the members of the various cultural groups and communities. The Second Program Service of the National Radio-Television (NRT) broadcasts programs to all non-majority communities that are provided for in the Constitution. Although commercial and non-profit media have fewer legal obligations than public service broadcasters, they perform public activity and have an obligation to broadcast a program that has regard to the cultural diversities. Nevertheless, research shows that the situation is very serious when it comes to the social inclusion of the media system “because access to the media of people with disabilities, women and marginalized groups, and the poor state of media literacy are systemic problems that have to be addressed urgently.”153 Besides, “the programs in non-majority languages function as separate parallel newsrooms that put their focus primarily on their own ethnic community and who “frame” and “observe” events predominantly from the perspective of their own community. What is particularly worrisome is the tendency of unilateral use of sources upon ethnic lines.”154 The recommendations laid down in the Sixth periodic report on the

149 Assembly of RNM, National Strategy for Development of Culture of RNM 2018-2022, Skopje, available at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gfzA76RBOTS1_A00fNn62n352E3nr8kB/view 150 UN, Universal Declaration on Human rights, available at: https://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/ 151 UN, International Covenant for Civil and Political Rights, available at: https://treaties.un.org/doc/publication/unts/volume%20999/volume-999-i-14668-english.pdf 152 Government of RNM, Work Program of the Government 2017-2020, Skopje, available at: https://vlada.mk/sites/default/files/programa/2017-2020/Programa_Vlada_2017-2020_MKD.pdf 153 Research Institute Social Development RESIS, Media pluralism monitor in Europe: Applying Media Pluralism Monitor 2017 in the EU, Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey. (Skopje: RESIS 2018), available at: https://resis.mk/wp- content/uploads/2018/11/Macedonia_MPM2017_narrative_report_MK_FINAL.pdf 154 Micevski, I., Trpevska, S., Trajkoska, Zh. Reporting from Parallel Worlds: Media in Macedonian communities (Skopje: institute for Communication Studies, 2013) 37

Convention for elimination of all forms of discrimination of women155 point to the need to increase the awareness of media for putting an end to the degrading portrayal and promotion of women in media and for taking action in this direction.

Analysis of public policies In the media sphere, the rights of the communities have been fully safeguarded as early as with the 1991 Constitution and the First Broadcasting Law from 1997. Freedom of expression, speech, public speech and public informing, as well as the unobstructed establishing of institutions for public informing are guaranteed by Article 16 of the Constitution.156 The same Article safeguards the free access to information, the freedom to receive and impart information. Article 48 of the Constitution, which was amended in 2001, safeguards the rights of members of the communities to freely express, nurture and develop their identity and specificities. The exercise of rights of non-majority communities in media157 was elaborated in more detail even in the first Broadcasting Law, adopted in 1997. This law provided for an obligation of the public service to broadcast programs also in the non-majority languages, in addition to the Macedonian language (Article 45). The Law on audio and audio-visual media services158 also stipulates that audio and audio-visual media services may not contain programs that inflame or spread discrimination, intolerance, hatred based on race, skin colour, origin, national or ethnic belonging, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, affiliation to a marginalised group, language, citizenship, social origin, education, religion or religious belief, political or other belief, disability, age, family or marital status, property status, health conditions, personality or social status, or on any other basis. The National Radio Television (NRT), as a public service, continues to have the largest legal obligations when it comes to the nurturing of linguistic diversity and cultural identity of non-majority communities. The law determines that NRT is obliged to develop and plan a programmatic scheme in the interest of the general public, and the programs to target at all segments of the society without discrimination, taking into account the specific social groups. In addition, according to the Law, NRT shall provide at least one television program service in Macedonian language, one program service in the language spoken by at least 20% of citizens other than the Macedonian language, which will be broadcast 24-hours a day, every day, as well as one television program service that will broadcast program in the languages of the other non-majority communities” (Article 107). The same article emphasizes that “NRT shall provide at least two program services in Macedonian language on the radio, one service in the language spoken by at least 20% of the citizens, which is different from than the Macedonian language, which will broadcast for 24 hours, every day of the week, and one program service in the language spoken by other non-majority communities, which will broadcast 24 hours”. According to the Law on Promotion and Protection of Rights of Members of Communities Comprising less than 20% of the population in RNM159 members of the communities have the right to receive information in their language via electronic and printed media (Article 6).

155 Available at: http://www.mtsp.gov.mk/rodova-ramnopravnost.nspx 156 Assembly of RNM, Decree for promulgation of the Constitution of RNM, Skopje, available at: https://www.sobranie.mk/WBStorage/Files/UstavnaRmizmeni.pdf 157 The area of printed media in RNM is not regulated by a single law, that is, the night of the non-majority communities to establish printed media directly comes from the Constitution. 158Assembly of RNM, Decree for promulgation of the Law amending the Law on Audio and Audio-visual Media Services, available at:http://avmu.mk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/001-Zakon-za-izmenuvanje-i-dopolnuvanje-na-ZAAVMU-248-18-od-31.12.2018- odina.pdf 159 Assembly of RNM, Decree for Promulgation of the Law on Promotion and Protection of Rights of Members of the Communities Comprising less than 20% of the Population in RNM, available at: http://aopz.gov.mk/wp- content/uploads/2014/11/%D0%97%D0%90%D0%9A%D0%9E%D0%9D-%D0%9D%D0%90- %D0%90%D0%93%D0%95%D0%9D%D0%A6%D0%98%D0%88%D0%90.pdf 38

The Law on electronic communications160 (Article 127) stipulated that the Agency for Electronic Communications may allow, in its Plan for awarding and use of radiofrequency, a certain electronic communication service in a certain radio frequency band, with a view to: stimulate cultural and language diversity and pluralism of media, for instance, for enabling radio or TV broadcasting. The Criminal Code contains provisions that criminalize hate speech. More specifically, Article 394-d stipulates that “a person who, through a computer system, spreads in the public racist and xenophobic written material, picture or other representation of an idea or theory that helps, promotes or incites hatred, discrimination or violence against any person or group, based on sex, race, skin colour, gender, affiliation to a marginalized group, ethnicity, language, citizenship, social origin, religion or religious belief, other types of beliefs, education, political affiliation, personal or social status, mental or physical disability, age, family or marital status, property status, health status, or in any other manner provided for by law or by ratified international agreement, shall be punished to imprisonment of one to five years”.161 Resolutions, charters and recommendations of СоЕ162, enshrined in the constitutional and legal framework, aim at enabling efficient and consistent implementation of the right to freedom of expression. Their objective is to ensure that the general principles of the freedom of expression provided for in Article 10 of the ECHR be enshrined and transposed in the laws, policies and practice of the СoЕ member-states. The CM Recommendation/Rec(2018)1 of СоЕ on pluralism in the media and transparency of media ownership163, states are encouraged to adopt regulatory and political measures with a view to promote availability, funding and access to variety of media contents, as well as representation of the entire diversity of the society in media, including the support to initiatives for such cause raised by media outlets. The Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities 164 (FCPNM) as well as the European Charter for Minority Languages (ЕCМL),165 contain and shed light on specific aspects of the right to freedom of expression, in accordance with their thematic focus. The latest opinion of the Advisory Committee (AC) from 2016 points out that “there hasn’t been a visible progress in the promotion of tolerance, mutual respect, understanding and intercultural dialogue.”166 It further on states that, “often media invigorate negative stereotypes and inflammatory speech” which further entrenches societal divisions across ethnic lines and is reported to have provoked a variety of interethnic incidents.”167 In this context, the AC underlines that it is “indispensable to promote awareness amongst all journalists and media professionals of the existing ethical standards in order to enhance their professionalism and to ensure that negative stereotyping of certain groups in society and the promulgation of hate speech do not become accepted as normal behaviour amongst citizens.”168 At the same time, the AC regrets that there is no support or subsidies

160 Assembly of RNM, Decree for promulgation of the Law on Electronic Communications, available at: http://www.mio.gov.mk/sites/default/files/pbl_files/documents/legislation/Zakon%20za%20elektronskite%20komunikacii_2014.pdf 161 Criminal Code, available at: http://jorm.gov.mk/wp- content/uploads/2016/03/%D0%9A%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B2%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%B5%D0%BD- %D0%B7%D0%B0%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BA- %D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B5%D1%87%D0%B8%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BD-%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BA%D1%81%D1%82.pdf 162 This documents provides a brief overview of the Council of Europe documents, as the Republic of North Macedonia is its member- state. The rights of national non-majority communities are safeguarded by other international instruments: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic and Cultural Rights, the UN Declaration on the Protection of the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, etc. 163 The recommendation has been adopted by the committee of Ministers on March 7th, 2018, at the 1309th meeting of deputy ministers, available at: https://rm.coe.int/recommendation-2018-1-on-media-pluralism-macedonian/16808c9c79 164 Council of Europe, Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, Strasbourg, available at: http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/monitoring/minorities/1_AtGlance/PDF_Text_FCNM_mk.pdf 165 The Republic of Macedonia signed this Covenant on 25.07.1996, but it has not been ratified yet, meaning it is still not binding. 166 See p. 6 of the Fourth Opinion of the Advisory Committee from 24.02.2016. Available at: https://rm.coe.int/CoERMPublicCommonSearchServices/DisplayDCTMContent?documentId=09000016806d23e3 167 Ibid, p.6 168 Ibid 39

in place for smaller media outlets producing in the languages of non-majority communities and/or which represent the positions of the non-majority communities. The National Strategy for Equality and Non-discrimination for the 2016-2020 period of the Government of RNM,169 identifies the media as the main social partner for protection from discrimination at the national level. The Concept for intercultural education of the Ministry of Education and Science or RNM170 from 2015 envisages “the establishment of a professional link between education institutions and the local and national media” (p.58), as well as “informing and introducing media to the activities of the educational institutions in the area of intercultural education” (p.59).

General picture about the media of non-majority communities The public media broadcaster airs programs in languages of the communities both on the national television and on the national radio. As of 2002 these programs have been broadcast on the Second service of the National Television. The majority of programs broadcast are in Albanian language, then in Turkish, whereas programs in Romany, Serbian, Vlach and Bosnian language each last around two hours a week. At the national radio there are 119 hours a week of program in Albanian language, 35 hours in Turkish language, and 3 hours and 30 minutes of program in Vlach, Romany, Bosnian and Serbian language.”171 In 2019, there have been total of 45 TV and 70 radio outlets active in the commercial broadcasting sector in the state.172 Of them, 17 TV and 14 radio outlets broadcast programs in some of the languages of the ethnic communities (Albanian, Turkish, Bosnian, Roma and Serbian). The national printed media sector,173 published in Albanian the following publications: dailies ‘Koha’, ‘Lajm’, the magazine ‘Zaman Shqip’ children’s magazines ‘Mini Libi’ and ‘Libi’ and the monthly magazine ‘Shenja’. The following publications magazines are printed in languages of the other communities: in Turkish language the monthly ‘Yeni Balkan’, the bi-monthly ‘Bahce’ and the weekly ‘Yeni Balkan Haftal’k Bilten’ and ‘Zaman’ (as a weekly and monthly magazine). There are also online media in the state which post online content in languages of the communities. Most of them are in Albanian language, but what is missing is a comprehensive source of data about media operating in languages of the non-majority communities. “One of the ways how to determine ownership of online media outlet is via Marnet, which registers the ‘.mk’ domains in the state.”174 The national state information agency MIA publishes its content also in Albanian, but not in the languages of the other non-majority communities. Of the private entities, there is one private news agency in Albanian language (INA - IliriaNewsAgency).

169 Government of RNM National Strategy for equality and non-discrimination 2016-2020, available at: http://www.mtsp.gov.mk/content/pdf/dokumenti/7.7_Strategija%20za%20ednakvost%20i%20nediskriminacija.pdf 170 On January 14th 2016, the Ministry of Education and Science of RM endorsed the new Concept of intercultural education as an official document of the MES. Available at http://www.mon.gov.mk/images/Koncepcija-mk.pdf 171 Тuneva, М., Analysis of rights and reporting about ethnic communities in the media, (Skopje, АCCR: 2013) Available at: http://aopz.gov.mk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/MK-%C0%ED%E0%EB%E8%E7%E0%F2%E0-%ED%E0- %D2%F3%ED%E5%E2%E0.pdf 172 Agency for Audio and Audio-visual Media Services, Register of TV outlets, available at: http://avmu.mk/registar-na-televizii/ 173 Agency for Audio and Audio-visual Media Services, Register of publishers of printed media, available at: http://avmu.mk/pechateni-mediumi/ 174 ZNM, Recommendations on responsible online media, (ZNM: 2017), available at: http://znm.org.mk/wp- content/uploads/2016/03/%D0%9F%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%BF%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BA%D0%B8-%D0%B7%D0%B0- %D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%B3%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BD%D0%B8- %D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%BB%D0%B0%D1%98%D0%BD-%D0%BC%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%B8%D1%83%D0%BC%D0%B8- %D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B5%D0%BC%D0%B2%D1%80%D0%B8-2017.pdf 40

Key institutions/stakeholders and mechanisms for the protection of different communities and cultural identities in media The Agency for Audio and Audio-visual Media Services (AAVMU Agency), as an independent and autonomous non-profit regulatory body, with an obligation to foster promotion of pluralism and diversity of content in the media sphere and for achieving the objectives of the Law on Audio and Audio-visual Media Services. The 2019 Agency's Work Program for 2019175 stipulates that it will monitor the fulfilment of program obligations of broadcasters through program supervision of radio and television services of the public broadcasting service, commercial broadcasting companies and non-profit broadcasting institutions, with the protection and fostering of cultural identity as one of the program obligations that will also be the subject of supervision. The Agency also has the authority to monitor media content that could incite hatred. The cases of hate speech are analysed in accordance with the rules of the “Hate Speech Monitoring Guide.”176 The Commission for Protection against Discrimination (CPD), in accordance with the Law on Prevention and Protection against Discrimination177 is tasked with “informing the public about the cases of discrimination and to undertake activities for promotion and education about equality, human rights and non-discrimination (Article 24).” The Agency for Community Rights Realization (ACRR) follows the exercise and promotion of rights of members of communities represented by under 20% of the population in the state. Among others, according to the Law,178 the Agency is responsible for: maintaining communication with the public and other target groups through the media and updating the website of the Agency (Article 13). A strategic priority of the ACRR in the area of information and media is promoting the right to information in the mother tongue of the members of the communities, while a strategic goal of the program is improved media informing in the languages of communities. In 2013, Analysis of rights and reporting on ethnic communities in the media was prepared,179 which, among other, recommends stronger networking and exchange of information among media of the ethnic communities, the civil society sector and the ’mainstream’ media. In 2015, analysis was prepared on the right to media access and the right to informing the communities at local level. Its results indicate that it is necessary to work on a comprehensive analysis of different contexts, i.e. professional, institutional, commercial, cultural, etc. and on the way each of them affects the representation of the smaller communities in the media. Besides, reference is made to the need for preparing a complex and multifaceted strategy in order to achieve positive changes in this sphere. One of the recommendations of the ACRR Participatory Forum was for the Government to adopt a strategy for media representation of the smaller communities, and to allocate budget funds for implementing programs and action plans related to the access of the smaller communities to the media. Special mandate, especially when it comes to the gender-based discrimination, is held by the Secretariat for the Implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement (SIOFA). One of the competencies

175 Agency for Audio and Audio-visual Media Services, Work Program for 2019, available at http://avmu.mk/wp- content/uploads/2018/12/3.-%D0%9F%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B3%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%B0-%D0%B7%D0%B0- %D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B1%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%B0-%D0%B7%D0%B0-2019- %D0%B3%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B0.pdf 176 Agency for Audio and Audio-visual Media Services, “Hate Speech Monitoring Guide“ of the Agency for Audio and Audio-visual Media Services, available at: http://avmu.mk/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Vodic-zamonitoring-za-govorot-na-omraza-Mak.pdf 177Assembly of RNM, Law on Prevention and Protection from Discrimination, available at: http://www.mps.mk/wp- content/themes/mps/pravni-akti-pdf/PT_na_Zakon_za_sprecuvanje_i_zastita_od_diskriminacija_177_14102015.pdf 178 Assembly of RNM, Decree for Promulgation of the Law on promotion and Protection of Rights of Members of the Communities Comprising less than 20% of the Population in RNM, available at: http://aopz.gov.mk/wp- content/uploads/2014/11/%D0%97%D0%90%D0%9A%D0%9E%D0%9D-%D0%9D%D0%90- %D0%90%D0%93%D0%95%D0%9D%D0%A6%D0%98%D0%88%D0%90.pdf 179 Tuneva, М., Analysis of rights and reporting about ethnic communities in the media, (Skopje, АCCR: 2013) Available at: http://aopz.gov.mk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/MK-%C0%ED%E0%EB%E8%E7%E0%F2%E0-%ED%E0- %D2%F3%ED%E5%E2%E0.pdf 41

of SIOFA180 is “to provide regular and timely information for the public about the process of implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement (ОFA).” The SIOFA Strategy for informing and communication with the public, drafted for the 2010-2012 period,181 focuses on the need for active communication with the public and media, with a view to promoting and presenting policies linked to the implementation of the OFA. The Ombudsman (NO) is a body which, among other tasks and in accordance with the Law182 undertakes measures and activities for protecting the principle of discrimination and equitable and just representation of members of the communities before the bodies of the state administration, bodies of the local self-government and public institutions and services. The Ombudsman’s Work Program for 2017183 underlines that, with a view to a more transparent operation, the institution of ombudsman shall regularly hold meetings with media representatives in the context of timely familiarisation of citizens about the degree of exercise and protection of human rights per concrete cases, and in general. Within the Assembly of NRM there is a permanent Commission for Protection of Civil Freedoms and Rights as a working body, which examines principled points and questions, proposals and opinions related to the implementation of the provisions of the Constitution, laws and other regulations and acts of importance for the exercise and the protection of the freedoms and rights of citizens. The Committee on Interethnic Relations is a permanent working body of the Assembly, which reviews issues related to relations between the communities in RNM, including the exercise of the right to express the identity and the specificities of the communities that are not the majority in the information area. Moreover, for the promotion and monitoring of gender equality in all spheres of social life in 2006, the Assembly Commission for Equality Between Men and Women was established, whose commitment is to work in partnership also with the media. Ministries with special jurisdiction in the area of equality/non-discrimination are: The Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (MLSP), Ministry of the Interior (MoI), the Ministry of Local Self-Government (MLSG), Ministry of Justice (MoJ), Ministry of Education and Science (MES), Ministry of Health (MoH) and many others. Important factors for issues of equality and non-discrimination in the units of local self-government are the Commissions for Inter-Community Relations (mandatory in mixed-ethnic municipalities) and Commissions for Equality Between Women and Men (that are to be established in all municipalities). They are advisory bodies to municipal councils and discuss issues within their competence, and their recommendations are taken into account by the councils. Civil society organisations and educational institutions continually explore the state of the legislation, the state of the concept of equality and non- discrimination and participate in their promotion. Some of them have a very important role in promoting the concept of interculturalism in the media and in the formal and informal education of journalists, and in this context, we highlight several of them whose primary focus is on the work of the media and journalists: the Association of Journalists (ZNM), the Media Ethics Council (CEMM), the Independent Trade Union of Journalists and Media Workers (SSNM), then the Macedonian Media Institute (MIM), the Media Development Centre (MDC), CIVIL Media, and others. Numerous CSOs and networks of organisations within the framework of their mission have been dealing with the media, advocating for unity, non-discrimination and respect to the basic human rights.184

180 Presently the Secretariat for the Implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement is undergoing a process of transformation into a new Ministry for Political System and Inter-Community Relations. 181 The Communication Strategy of SIOFA has been prepared by the author of this Analysis. 182 Assembly of RNM, Law on the Ombudsman, available at: http://ombudsman.mk/upload/documents/Zakon%20na%20NP.PDF 183 Ombudsman, Work Program for 2017, available at: http://ombudsman.mk/upload/Programa%20za%20rabota/2017/Programa%20za%20rabota-2017.pdf 184 In the Analysis we have mentioned some, such as the Open Society Foundation, the Network for Protection against discrimination, the Coalition “Margini”, the Helsinski Committee for Human Rights, the Institute for Human Rights, the Macedonian Centre for International Cooperation, the Female Civic Initiative ANTIKO, the Association for Emancipation, Equality and Solidarity of Women ESE, the National Gender Equality Council, the LGBTI centre for support, the “SONCE” Association for Democratic Development of the Roma, the European centre for rights of the Roma “Mesecina” - Debar, DROM Кumanovo, PolioPlus – 42

Various educational and research organizations have many activities related to the development of professional standards, such as the Institute for Communication Studies, the High School of Journalism and Public Relations, the Social Development Research Institute, and others. Despite the multitude of institutions and organizations working in this field, the assessment of their functioning denotes significant weaknesses. As for the work of the CPD, assessments in last year's EC Country Report remain negative. “It is important to resolve the existing shortcomings in the work of the Commission, including in terms of its impartiality and independence ... The public hold very little confidence in this Commission ... the few cases of alleged hate speech identified by AAVMS were not followed through by the CPD or the Public Prosecution Office…”185 Otherwise, although the CPD possesses a Communication Strategy, developed in 2013,186 many of the planned activities were not implemented in practice, such as, for example, communication with the media and regular cooperation with them. Moreover, the implementation of policies related to non-majority communities by the relevant institutions was assessed as poor. “This is due to the unclear mandate of the institutions, the absence of inter-institutional cooperation, the lack of resources and the lack of political will… the non-majority communities are still stereotyped in the media and on the Internet.”187 The work of the Ombudsman is assessed as efficient, in spite of the lack of capacities, and the public does recognise the Ombudsman as the main institution for the protection of human rights. The Assessment of the implementation of the Law on Promotion and Protection of Rights of Members of Communities Comprising less than 20% of the Population,188 finds that financial support has not been provided for new (documentary) programs in the languages of the communities due to the failure to establish a separate fund of the ACRR, provided for in Article 17 of the mentioned Law.189 On the other hand, as underlined in the assessment, information about the work, programs and activities of the Agency is insufficient and this directly impacts the lack of information of members of communities about their rights. The report about the exercise and protection of the rights of ethnic communities at the local level190 states that state and local institutions haven’t done enough to promote the CIRCs among citizens, which created room for speculations as to which is their role actually.

Activities and steps in the promotion of interculturalism in the media One of the more significant steps for developing this area at the national level is the establishment of a Media Literacy Network191 in April 2017, which was initiated by the Agency for Audio and Audio-visual Media Services. Members of this network are 47 CSOs, policy creators, educators, state institutions and

Movement Against Handicap, Association for Supporting people with Mental Illnesses, and other marginalized groups, etc. The list includes all other active civic organisations and coalition networks which are active in the promotion of the concept of equality, non- discrimination and respect to human rights. 185 Report of the EC for RM for 2018 186 The drafting of this Strategy is a result of the strategic partnership with the OSCE Mission, as part of the Project “Support to Further Development of an Effective infrastructure for Equality”. 187 Report of the EC for RM for 2018 188 ОSCE/ACRR, Assessment of the Implementation of the Law on Promotion and Protection of the rights of members of communities comprising less than 20% of the population - final report, available at: http://aopz.gov.cmk/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/MK-FINAL- Ex-Post-Evaluation-Report-21.01.2015-RM.pdf 189 Assembly of RNM, Decree for Promulgation of the Law on Promotion and Protection of Rights of Members of the Communities Comprising Less Than 20% of the Population in RNM, available at: http://aopz.gov.mk/wp- content/uploads/2014/11/%D0%97%D0%90%D0%9A%D0%9E%D0%9D-%D0%9D%D0%90- %D0%90%D0%93%D0%95%D0%9D%D0%A6%D0%98%D0%88%D0%90.pdf 190 The report is available at: http://aopz.gov.mk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/%C8%E7%E2%E5%F8%F2%E0%BC- %CE%F1%F2%E2%E0%F0%F3%E2%E0%9C%E5-%E8-%E7%E0%F8%F2%E8%F2%E0-%ED%E0-%EF%F0%E0%E2%E0%F2%E0-%ED%E0- %E5%F2%ED%E8%F7%EA%E8%F2%E5-%E7%E0%E5%E4%ED%E8%F6%E8-%ED%E0-%EB%EE%EA%E0%EB%ED%EE- %ED%E8%E2%EE.pdf 191 Webpage of the Media Literacy network of RNM http://mediumskapismenost.mk/%D0%BF%D0%BE%D1%87%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%BD%D0%B0/ 43

other stakeholders. The Media Literacy Policy192 of the Agency commits to stimulate direct and indirect activity that would lead to improved skills of citizens for media literacy and participation in the society via the media. The civil society sector is the main stronghold of informal education, promotion and research in the field of inclusive reporting and diversity. Since its establishment in 2014, the Media Ethics Council (CEMM) has been implementing activities aimed at developing cross-sectoral cooperation in order to address various problems, such as the emergence of hate speech in the media, discrimination on various grounds, etc. CEMM also coordinates with the Ombudsman, which has a legal obligation to protect the rights of citizens who are exposed to discrimination via the media. In January 2019, CEMM set up a Network Against Hate Speech in the Media, which unites ministries, institutions, organizations, media and other stakeholders. One of the goals of the Network, stated in the Declaration against Hate Speech in the Media and the Internet193 is to prevent the spreading of hate speech in the public sphere, to strengthen the professional and ethnical discharge of journalist profession and raising the awareness of the wider population about the negative consequences of hate speech. The Macedonian Media Institute (MIM) has carried out number of activities to develop the skills of journalists from non-majority communities, creating opportunities for their involvement in the industry. In the period 2009-2011 period, it conducted series of media literacy training events in the context of interethnic integration, through cooperation with the USAID Interethnic Integration in Education Project. Despite the cooperation with the Bureau for the Development of Education (BDE) and the MES supported by the MATRA program of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, media literacy has still not been formally included in education curricula for the past ten years, as a teaching content. With a view to encourage media freedom and media and cultural pluralism, the Association of Journalists (ZNM), is conducting activities for training of journalists on topics related to reporting for non- majority and marginalized communities, encouraging also coproduction. The High School of Journalism and Public Relations has, from 2011 until today, been active in the field of informal education for media and information literacy, primarily focusing on the young population. Other civil society organizations, including the “Margins” Coalition, the Association for the Protection and Education of Children and Young Roma “Progress” and others are active in monitoring media coverage of various non-majority and cultural groups in the country.

Representation and access of diverse cultural and ethnic communities in media – conditions and perspectives A number of domestic and international reports and analysis point to the need for the state to take measures for integrating and approaching various communities in the media. The Fourth Opinion of the Advisory Committee for implementation of the FCNM points out that “in the absence of a government strategy for development of integrated society, divisions in the public sphere are more than obvious, among other in the media as well.194 Freedom House assesses the media situation in its report for last year as slightly improved, reflecting on the positive developments in the area of media reporting credibility as a result of the change of government at the central level. “Still, to a large part, media are still polarised upon political, ethnic and language line.”195

192 This document is a result of the joint EU-CoE Project “Reinforcing Judicial Expertise on Freedom of Expression and the Media in South-East Europe (JUFREX)” 193 Media Ethics Council, Declaration on Fight Against Hate Speech in the Media and Internet, available at: http://semm.mk/attachments/deklaracija.pdf 194 Council of Europe/Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, Fourth Opinion on the Republic of North Macedonia, available at: https://rm.coe.int/16806d23e3 195 Freedom House, Nations in Transit 2018: Macedonia Country Report, available at: https://freedomhouse.org/sites/default/files/NiT2018_Macedonia.pdf 44

Division in the media is also described in the “White Paper”196 of MIM, whose conclusion reads that its ethnic division leads to a portrayal of partial image of the society, perceived through the prism of different ethnicities or different political ideologies. The point made here is that civil society organisations and media need to create pressure on institutions, such as the CPD, NO, the Agency for AAVMS and other bodies. Media reporting, as highlighted in the survey report on the topic “Discrimination on the grounds of ethnic belonging”197 leads to a higher degree of closure and xenophobia among ethnic communities. Recommendations of the research underline the need for further promotion of the concept of equality and non-discrimination. Even citizens agree that media inappropriately promote the concept of equality and non- discrimination. One of the conclusions of the 2017 public opinion survey in the state done by the Agency for AAVMS is that “over 60% of respondents agree that TV news inflame and incite hatred and intolerance upon ethnic lines.”198 Last year’s Progress Report of the EC underlined that “the state has to address remaining challenges, including reform of the public broadcasting service,”199 underlining also the need for strengthened independence of the public broadcaster. Besides, the Report underlines that the stereotypes in the society persist, and that hate speech against the LGBTI community is rampant in the media, on the Internet and the social networks, and stresses the need for greater commitment and Roma inclusion. The draft-strategy for development of the broadcasting activity for the 2013-2017 period indicates that “the obligation for nurturing the cultural identity or the community and respect to the cultural and religious differences necessitates an approach that will be jointly shared by all radio and TV program services offered by the MRT. The radio and TV services of the ethnic communities need the participation of editorial offices of all ethnic communities and their different languages in the development of the programmatic scheme and of the programs.”200 It also points to the need to stimulate the development of multi-ethnic media. The Advisory Committee for application of the FCNM appeals to the authorities to increase their support to the printed and broadcasting media in the languages of the non-majority communities. “This includes provision of higher budget and improved technical equipment, in order to facilitate the appropriate coverage of all relevant political and societal events, without limiting only on culture, and also to enable high quality public broadcasting and to make it available at the central and regional level for the entire public.”201 In November of last year the government adopted a Program for supporting the printing and distribution of publications and magazines for 2018.202 Among the media that received subsidies were also ‘Koha’ and ‘Lajm’ in Albanian, as well as ‘Zaman’203 in Turkish language.

196 Macedonian Media Institute, Whiter paper, priorities and mechanisms for promoting cooperation among civil society organisations and media for efficient protection of human rights, (Skopje: MIM, 2013), available at http://medium.edu.mk/images/resursi/BelaKniga_web_v1.pdf 197 The research was conducted by a group of experts hired by the Macedonian centre for international Cooperation, as part of a joint project between OSCE observation mission to Skopje and SIOFA, available at: https://www.osce.org/mk/skopje/116792?download=true 198 Agency for Audio and Audio-visual Media Services, Public Opinion Research (Skopje: АААМS, 2017), available at: http://avmu.mk/wp- ontent/uploads/2017/06/%D0%98%D1%81%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B6%D1%83%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%9A%D0%B5- %D0%BD%D0%B0-%D1%98%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%BD%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%BE- %D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%81%D0%BB%D0%B5%D1%9A%D0%B5-%D0%BD%D0%B0- %D0%BF%D1%83%D0%B1%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B0-17.04.pdf 199 Report of the EC for RM for 2018 200 Agency for Audio and Audio-visual Media Services, Draft-Strategy for the Development of Broadcasting Activity for the 2013-2017 period, available at: http://avmu.mk/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Predlog-Strategija-i-Akciski-plan.pdf 201 Council of Europe/Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, Compilation of opinion of the Advisory Committee relating to article 9 of the FCPNM (fourth cycle), available at:https://rm.coe.int/1680648f5c 202 Upon the Decision of the Government concerning this Program, 50 million MKD have been allocated for covering printing costs and distribution in the printed media for 2017, of which 50% is for the printed media in Macedonian language, and at least 50%, but 45

Final observations Intercultural communications are not possible without the media that play a major role in the development of intercultural development and education. The CoE emphasizes that “there is a need to strengthen the awareness of professionals in the media about the necessity of intercultural dialogue and cooperation beyond ethnic, religious and linguistic boundaries, with the prospect of promoting a culture of tolerance and mutual understanding.”204 Strong dedication to the development and application of the concept of interculturalism and diversity in media reporting is noted among professional media and journalist organizations, which can be concluded from the numerous activities undertaken in this field. Hence the recommendation is as follows: “media organizations, self-regulatory bodies and other civil society organizations which are focusing on media literacy should commit to developing projects and directing their activities towards comprehensive promotion and support to media literacy among the expert public, citizens from all age groups, marginalized groups, journalists and other segments of the society.”205 The issue remains open as to how media literacy shall be incorporated in the education system, especially in primary education. The National Television is also expected to produce and broadcast diverse programs in the media literacy sphere for different segments of the public. “This will help viewers understand information and news, to analyse and assess messages they receive via different media (and not just via the national broadcaster), so they can defend their right to free information.”206 In circumstances when the audience has no direct knowledge or experience about what is going on, they become particularly addicted to the media.207 Still, surveys shows that even when the media report about non-majority and marginalized groups, they basically focus on stories that arise from mundane events rather than to investigate the topic in more depth and scrutiny. “There is a tendency of more frequent use of 'ready-made' texts from news agencies or official press releases from state institutions.”208 Herein we perceive the need for supporting the change of work practices in the editorial offices, the organizational setup, investing in the staff and further development of their skills. Important in this network is the interconnection and dialogue of the education system, the civil sector, the media and institutions in the creation of policies and action programs and the development of best practices in this process. Alongside this, it is also important to work on strengthening the capacities, engagement and commitment of the institutions themselves and their coordination and active participation in the implementation of policies and programs for equal representation and access of different communities to the media.

not over 70% for printing the publication in languages of the other ethnic communities. Available at: https://vlada.mk/sites/default/files/dokumenti/programa_za_finansiska_poddrshka_za_pechatenje_i_distribucija_na_pechatenite_ mediumi_za_2018_godina.pdf 203 In January 2019, the “Zaman” magazine announced its waiver from the government support. More at: https://civilmedia.mk/zaman-se-otkazha-od-vladinata-subventsija-po-obvinuvanata-od-turtsija-za-povrzanost-so- terorizam/?print=pdf 204Council of Europe, White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue “Living Together As Equals in Dignity” (Strasbourg: 2008) available at: https://rm.coe.int/16804ec73d 205 Macedonian Media Institute, Research on Education Needs of Journalists and Public Media Literacy (Skopje: 2016), available at: https://mim.org.mk/attachments/article/1092/Istrazuvanje_za_obrazovnite_potrebi_na_novinarite_i_publikata.pdf 206 Nikodinovska, V. Milenkovski, S., Vasilova, I. Media and Information Literacy, Politics and Practices – introduction to research report, available at: http://seenpm.org/wp-content/uploads/%D0%92%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B5%D0%B4-%D0%B2%D0%BE- %D0%B8%D1%81%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B6%D1%83%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%87%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%BE%D1%82- %D0%B8%D0%B7%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%88%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%98- %D0%9C%D0%B0%D0%BA%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%98%D0%B01.pdf 207 Pinar, A., Tuneva, M. and Mengu, S. (2018) Intercultural Communication and the Media: A Study of Effects of Globalization and New Technologies, in Linking Business and Communication: From a Sparkle to a Flame, DOBA Business School, Maribor 208Troshanovski, M. Representation of Minorities in the New Media – analysis of professional journalistic standards in new media practices, available at:http://mediaobservatory.net/sites/default/files/Final-report-Minority-representation-in-new-media.pdf 46

Furthermore, in the spirit of supporting the work of the media, we point to the need that “The Government, through transparent and independent mechanisms, provides subsidizing of media from the smaller communities that cannot survive on the market, which would encourage pluralism in the media”.209 What is necessary in this area is the stimulation and growth of multi-ethnic media.

2.6.2 Key priorities and objectives

Priority 1. Advancing media outlets towards timely, non-bias and objective dissemination of information to citizens, promoting and developing interculturalism and media pluralism Objective 1.1. Reform the public broadcasting service to foster interculturalism Objective 1.2. Reinforce fight against hate speech and strengthen intercultural spirit in media Objective 1.3. Increase capacities, professional skills and knowledge of journalists in private media to develop and promote interculturalism Objective 1.4. Enrich media content for inclusive coverage on ethnic and cultural identity and other diversities Priority 2. Strengthening media literacy among citizens of all age

Objective 2.1. Encourage critical thinking towards media content related to interculturalism and hate speech

Objective 2.2. Introduce media literacy approach in the formal educational system and informal education

209 Jovanovski, М., Mechanisms for Subsidising media and journalism in Macedonia and European countries, (Skopje: MIM, 2018), available at: https://mim.org.mk/attachments/article/1125/mehanizmi%20za%20subvencioniranje%20na%20mediumite.pdf 47

2.7 Social cohesion 2.7.1. Analysis of state of play There is no universally accepted definition of social cohesion. For the purposes of this analysis, the most appropriate are definitions which perceive social cohesion as the ability of the society to ensure well- being to all its members, to minimize inequalities and to avoid divisions. Most of the definitions contain the following key aspects of social cohesion: the sense of belonging to the community; the perception that society is just; the desire and will to participate in public and political life; positive attitude towards marginalized groups and groups which are not part of the dominant culture in the society. The main aspects of social cohesion are: sense of belonging that implies common values, identification with the local community and trust in the institutions of local self-government; a sense of social justice and equality which among other things implies review of public policies by citizens; a feeling and a desire for active participation in the public and political life of the state. Values: a sense of satisfaction with the quality of life and a positive attitude towards prospects for a better life. From the perspective of citizens, social cohesion means that all citizens, regardless of their belonging, personal characteristics and orientations, shall have: equal access to the rights guaranteed by law; equal access to the resources of society, such as the labour market, education, health, social protection, culture, etc.; can participate equally in decision-making, contribute to the development and well-being of the society; can develop their potentials and live a dignified life. This analysis of the state of play consists of two parts: analysis of the state of play from the perspective of the balanced regional development and analysis of the state of play in terms of gender equality, non-discrimination and equal opportunities on the basis of all differences.210

Introduction – balanced regional development The Republic of North Macedonia is divided into 8 regions: Skopje Region, East Region, Southeast Region, Northeast Region, Pelagonija Region, Vardar Region, Southwest Region and Polog Region. The administrative regions were officially declared and adopted by the Macedonian Assembly on 29.09.2009. Officially the country is divided into 8 administrative regions, used for statistical, economic and administrative purposes. In addition to the regions, the municipalities are also the fist-line administrative division of the country. The largest region in terms of surface area is the Pelagonija Region, which has the largest number of settlements, around 343, but has a small density of population - 50 inhabitants per square kilometre, whereas the smallest region is the Skopje one, but with a distinctly dense population of 319 inhabitants per square kilometre, accounting for over one quarter of the total population in RNM. The rural municipalities are very present in almost all regions, however, most of the population lives in the larger urban centres, which points to the misbalanced concentration of population within the regions. The Polog and Southwest regions are leaders in numbers of rural population, whereas in the other regions, the rural settlements are not so densely populated.211

Analysis of the state of play as per the key indicators The Republic of North Macedonia is still one of the fiscally most centralized countries in Europe, where most of the municipalities still lack enough budget resources to successfully carry out their legal mandate and to provide high quality services to citizens. In terms of its development, the Republic of North Macedonia is a distinctly unbalanced country. There are vast differences in terms of the level of development between urban and rural municipalities, as well as between the City of Skopje and the rest of the Republic of North Macedonia. Many municipalities still cannot cover even the running costs of, for example, transportation of students or heating of schools in the winter. Life in the villages and smaller

210 Ohrid Framework Agreement (Article 4; Article 7; Article 48 of Constitutional amendments; Article 5 and 6 of annex C 211 Bureau for Regional Development of R. North Macedonia 48

municipalities is very difficult, and consequently many people, especially the young ones, leave to the cities or move abroad.212 Over 50% of the demographic growth of population in the country comes from the Skopje Region. The Polog Region has the highest birth rate, with 90% of the national demographic growth identified in this region alone. The other regions have modest rates of population growth, whereas Pelagonija and the East Region mark a higher mortality rate than birth rate. In the last 5 years, only the Skopje Region has seen a population increase by about 30,000 new residents. Of course, this is a result of the constant migration of the population from the country to the capital, but also migration outside the state borders as well. The Polog Region denotes an increase of about 10,000 inhabitants. This is due to the high birth rate, and the constant migration from rural to urban areas in this Region. What is worrisome is the situation in the Northeast and Southeast regions, with a minimum population increase of 1,500 to 2,500 inhabitants over the last five years.213. Distribution of unemployment per regions brings us to the conclusion that the main differences are reflected here again, and should serve as basis for taking different measures and activities per different regions. In some regions, for example the Southeast, unemployment rates are higher by almost 16%, and in the Southwest region they are 7% higher than the national average for the last five years. The Skopje Region, which is a place of residence of 1/3 of the country’s population, generates 43% of GDP. Therefore, this region is dominant in relation to regional GDP per capita. It should be noted that this rate is 2.5 times higher than the GDP per capita in the Northeast, which is the least developed region. According to the State Statistical Office, two more regions (Southeast and Vardar) have higher GDP per capita compared to the average rate in the Republic of North Macedonia. This is a sufficient signal for the need for a comprehensive and detailed policy for a balanced regional development that can deliver positive results in the short, medium and long term.214 If we are to compare with other European countries, we shall see that in 2018 RNM holds the worrying 36th place according to its GDP with $15,661 per capita. The leader in this category is Luxembourg with $110,870; followed by Ireland with $79,925 and Norway with $74,065 per capita. As for the countries which are most common migrant destination of the Republic of North Macedonia, the situation is as follows: Switzerland has $63,380; Germany $52,801; Sweden has $53,077; Belgium - $49,705; Malta - $44,670 and Italy has $39,499 dollars per capita. In terms of the region, ahead of us are: Slovenia with $36,566; Greece with $29,057; Croatia with $26,215; Bulgaria with $23,154; Montenegro with $16,681 and Serbia with $15,941 dollars per capita. Only Bosnia and Herzegovina (with $13,442) and Albania (with $13,244) per capita are worse off than our country.215 These data clearly show the major reasons for the latest massive immigration flows of the citizens of RNM. The Skopje region accounts for about 40% of the total number of active business entities in the country. In terms of this indicator for regional development, second in line is the Polog region, followed by the Southwest and Pelagonia regions. Other regions have extremely low percentage of business entities, which drives them to a situation where their population is on the verge of poverty.216 Analysis of the share of regions in the total investments is also worrying, since more than half of the economic investments are made in the most developed - Skopje Region, with almost no investments made in the least developed North-eastern Region.

Conclusion

212 Government на Republic of Macedonia, 2018. Decision on the Strategic priorities of the Government of the Republic of Macedonia in 2019. Skopje: Official Gazette of RM, no. 84 from 9.5.2018 213 State Statistical Office. 2018. The Regions in the Republic of Macedonia 214 Penev Slagan and Trenovski Borce, 2016. Policy on Balanced Regional Development in Macedonia - Goals, Challenges, Trends. Skopje: FORUM-CSID 215 IMF Report for 2018 216 State Statistical Office. 2018. Regions in the Republic of Macedonia. 49

It is clear that the Skopje region, as the largest urban area in the Republic of North Macedonia is inhabited by citizens with the highest income in the country. It offers much better opportunities for businesses than the other regions. The high concentration of the higher-income population is a very auspicious environment for creating service industry markets, which generates higher growth rates of the economy in the Skopje Region. In turn, in the other regions, the service sector is unable to generate sufficient growth of industrial capacities. The Skopje region also has the highest level of income and the lowest unemployment rate (Strategy for Regional Development of the Republic of Macedonia 2009-2019).217 This region also holds the lowest illiteracy rate, resulting in the fact that most students and people with university degrees live in this region. These citizens have access to quality health services and numerous public cultural facilities. The other regions are characterized by lower educational level of the population, poorer health services and lack of cultural events. There is a clear division of regions and municipalities in terms of their ranking according to the social index, depending on their urban or rural characteristics. The Polog and the Northeast regions are ranked the lowest in terms of the social index, because the dominant in these regions are the rural municipalities. There is a satisfactory presence of educational institutions there, but cultural, health and sports facilities are concentrated in urban areas. The Infrastructure is yet another area with a sharp division between the Skopje Region and all the rest. Concentration of urban municipalities in the Skopje Region is the main cause for such a situation. Generally speaking, the public infrastructure in the Republic of North Macedonia is extremely bad in terms of two categories: economic infrastructure and social infrastructure. The economic infrastructure refers to facilities that directly affect economic activities in the country, including: electricity, transport (national and local roads) and telecommunications. Social infrastructure includes facilities that mainly affect the living standards of its citizens, including here the quality of education offered in primary, secondary and higher education institutions; the quality of health services in primary and secondary health care; the social protection and the quality of the local structure in the urban and rural settlements in RNM. When it comes to determining the economic growth of our country, the progress of public infrastructure in terms of the indicators is one of the key signals. A country with well-developed systems in transport, communication, energy, water, sewage and public utilities create an environment that encourages investments in all fields of the industrial, commercial and service facilities in the Republic of North Macedonia.

Analysis of gender equality, non-discrimination and equal opportunities on grounds of all differences

Introduction The concept of equal opportunities for men and women is still an issue that burdens social relations in the Republic of North Macedonia. This in particular concerns the discrimination of women in the labour market, social protection and health care.218 Inequality, that is, the unequal distribution of rights, resources and power between men and women is evident from statistics. Women in the contemporary Macedonian society suffer from discrimination and violence and face unequal starting positions when it comes to access to educational institutions, health organizations and human resource capital in labour relations. Their representation in the process of political and economic decision-making is far from satisfactory. Women in the Republic of North Macedonia still do not have an equal approach to the exercise of their economic, political, cultural, reproductive and sexual rights. Gender equality is a fundamental value whose achievement has enormous socioeconomic benefits. Women empowerment leads to a prosperous economy, boosting productivity and economic growth. Nevertheless, gender inequalities remain deeply rooted in our society.

217 Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, 2009. Strategy for Regional Development of the Republic of Macedonia, 2009-2019. Skopje: Official Gazette of RM. 218 Reaktor, 2012 Demographic Policies and Gender Equality in R. Macedonia 50

The principle of equality and non-discrimination is established in the country’s highest legal act, the Constitution of the Republic of North Macedonia, whose Article 9 safeguards the rights and freedoms of citizens regardless of gender, ethnicity and social status. The values set forth in the Constitution are followed by a series of laws and acts that are based on the principle of equality and non-discrimination. The Strategy for Gender Equality 2013-2020 was adopted in order to promote the equal opportunities of women and men in the overall social life of the country. The Strategy is a document “which provides the framework for full equality of women and men as cross-sectoral, horizontal and universal social and political priority.”219 Moreover there is distinct discrimination in the Republic of North Macedonia towards people with disabilities; people from marginalised ethnic or religious groups; people of different sexual orientation; people dealing with professions which are not socially recognised, etc.

Analysis of state of play as per key indicators The Republic of North Macedonia has ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and its Optional Protocol by way of succession in 1994. In 2018, the country ratified the Istanbul Convention, to which it was a signing party as of 2011. The Ministry of Labour and Social Policy in 2018 developed and adopted the National Action Plan for the implementation of the Convention on the Prevention and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence.220 The primary objective of the Action Plan is harmonizing national laws with the provisions of the Istanbul Convention. Hence, a working group was established tasked with drafting the Law on Prevention and Protection Against Violence at Women, including here domestic violence. The Republic of North Macedonia has adopted several laws and mechanisms for the promotion of gender equality. The Law on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men obliges public institutions to ensure equal rights and opportunities for women and men and to integrate gender into their policies, strategies and budgets through concrete measures for reducing gender inequality. Despite significant legal changes, gender gaps and inequalities continue at all levels (Gender Equality Strategy 2013-2020). If we are to analyse the number of employed women and men in the municipal administration and public enterprises in the municipality, absolute figures shows that the number of employed men is higher by almost one half. Moreover, the ratio between women and men in managerial positions in the municipal administration and public enterprises in the municipality (heads of units and departments), we can conclude that the difference is even more striking. It shows that almost three times as many men are in managerial positions, at levels where decisions are reached. So, if in municipal administration and public enterprises the employment of women is almost half the number compared to men, the difference is even more striking when it comes to the managerial positions, that is, decision-making positions. These data indicate the economic dependence of women and the existence of gender inequality.221 Considering the employment processes, discrimination against women can also be seen in the job advertisements themselves, where special requirements (completely unnecessary) for incumbents are indicated, such as: attached photograph, marital status, gender, age and similar. In the survey report of the Commission for Protection Against Discrimination prepared in 2013, it is noted that in the job advertisements the most common grounds for discrimination is the sex - 55%, commonly accompanied by “personal status” - 21%, which encompasses the family, marital status and pregnancy. The same report concludes that there are multiple cases of discrimination in the job vacancies, which often combine gender with age and the personal status.222 The next phase where discrimination is visible is during selection of candidates for certain position, when, in the course of the interview, they receive questions about their private life, such as: “Are you married? Do you have children?

219 Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, Gender Equality Strategy 2013 – 2020, available at: http://morm.gov.mk/wp- content/uploads/2018/03/Strategija-2013-2020.pdf 220 Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, "Action Plan for Implementation of the Convention for the Prevention and Fight Against Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence of the Republic of Macedonia 2018 - 2023.” 221 MLSP, Analysis of qualitative participation of women in public and political life in local self-government units 222 Commission for the Protection from Discrimination: Discrimination in job advertisements, 2013, p. 60. 51

Do you plan to have children in the several coming years?” This is particularly the case in the private sector, where even cases were revealed where female candidates were asked to sign a written statement that for a certain time period they will not have a child.223 . Persons with disabilities are still exposed to stereotypes and bias, non-recognition of their abilities and contribution to the development of the Macedonian modern society although the state has ratified the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities and the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, as early as in 2011. In the past period, LGBTI activists in the state worked in conditions of extreme hostility against them, also because of the use of homophobia for political purposes. Since 2017, the cooperation between the Government and civil society organizations working on the promotion of human rights has been strengthened with a special focus on the LGBTI persons and community. For years back this community has called for Macedonia's anti-discrimination legislation to be in line with the laws of the European Union, which was initiated with the new Law on Prevention and Protection against Discrimination, and has appealed to political and social leaders to condemn homophobic and transphobic violence. In the Republic of North Macedonia there are ethnic communities vulnerable on grounds of racial discrimination, such as the Roma. This community is still facing different challenges compared to all other ethnic groups in the country. In this case, there is also a racial component in their definition as a group. The way others perceive it leads to racial discrimination. Secondly, because of the history of discrimination, exclusion and marginalization, the Roma face a set of socioeconomic and political challenges. As a result of the implementation of many activities at the national level, also supported by numerous donors, significant progress has been made with regard to the inclusion of Roma in education, but serious challenges still remain in the area of discrimination in the basic services of social protection, housing, as well as multifaceted discrimination against Roma women.224 The vision of these areas, based on clear estimate of the priorities and what has been accomplished so far, is expected to be enshrined in the new Strategy for Roma, the drafting of which is expected to begin in 2020. The Republic of North Macedonia is faced with the problem of the closed smaller cultures (organic cultures). It concerns cultures which are in constant clash and are facing misunderstandings, especially with the dominant culture in the country. In principle such clashes are resolved via euphoria of closing within the group, dividing entities into “ours” and “theirs” in which everyone knows what the others are like. Due to all the above, there are ethno-religious groups which are discriminated against and do not have equal opportunities in this country. As a result of this, members of certain marginalised religious groups are almost socially excluded in RNM.225 Everything stated above may easily lead to discrimination on religious basis. . Nonetheless, in order to obtain concrete data on the basis of absolute numbers and percentage, we need to finance longitudinal quantitative scientific research for such analysis to be supported.

Conclusion Gender-based violence has been recognized as one of the most pressing issues to be addressed if gender equality is to be achieved. Domestic violence, according to available reports and surveys, is the most common type of gender-based violence in the Republic of North Macedonia. Our country has ratified the CoE Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (known as the Istanbul Convention). However, relevant changes in the legislative and policy framework remain a challenge for the upcoming period. Gender stereotypes are one of the key factors for all other forms of discrimination against women in the Republic of North Macedonia. Research conducted so far points to a

223 MLSP, Analysis of Participation of Women at the Labour Market 224 See Report of EC for RM for 2018 225 See more at: Matevski, Zoran, 2012(A); 2012(B); 2013(A); 2013(B); 2014; 2015; 2017(A); 2017(B). 52

rampant span of conservative and patriarchal values in the Macedonian society. Even more worrisome is that these values are promoted via media and educational institutions in the country.226 There is gender discrimination in the labour market in the Republic of North Macedonia, manifested either in low female participation in the labour market or through discrimination and mobbing at the workplace. Balancing between the private and professional activities of women in Macedonian traditional environments contributes to the low level of women's activity in the labour market, but also poses as obstacle for women to climb higher on the scale of social mobility in the Macedonian postmodern society. Women are still faced with numerous obstacles to their active participation in the country's political life and decision-making. Gender mainstreaming has been recognized as a priority and is a necessary tool to improve gender equality in the country. But still there is a lot of work to be done as to the practical implementation of these government policies. On the other hand, CSOs are an important driver for the development of gender policies that promote gender equality in the Republic of North Macedonia. They do this through various activities and programs. However, civil society organizations have monitoring and evaluation mechanisms which provide them with reporting on specific indicators that influence gender discrimination in the state. Equal opportunities for men and women in terms of dignity and right means promoting the principle of introducing equal participation of women and men in all areas of the public and private sector, equal status and treatment in the exercise of all rights and in the development of their individual potentials through which they contribute to social development, and equal benefits from the results derived from that development. The basic measures for achieving the principle of equal opportunities are normative ones, indicating the areas which ban sex and gender-based discrimination and provide an obligation for the entities determined by this Law to nourish and create conditions for equal treatment in the exercise and protection of the rights and freedoms and which provide for sanctions in case of non-compliance with the requests or violation of regulations. The analysis of all types of representation in the economy, education, politics, public administration and mass media in the Republic of North Macedonia offers arguments that prove that mistrust, confinement and isolation are not only unfit for today's contemporary Macedonian society, but are also completely unfeasible as existential categories.

2.7.2 Key priorities and objectives Priority 1: Promoting sustainable and inclusive socio-economic and Balanced Regional Development (BRD)

Objective 1: Create institutional mechanisms for implementing BRD policies Objective 2: Raise awareness of public administration and the society at large for “one society for all” concept and interculturalism and BRD Objective 3: Strength overall capacities and resources of all stakeholders to ensure BRD Objective 4: Harmonize legal framework within institutions on BRD

Priority 2: Enhancing social cohesion and integration by improving gender equality, non-discrimination and equal opportunities irrespective of diversities Objective 1: Promote and affirm non-discrimination and equality irrespective of diversities Objective 2: Harmonize legal framework with “one society for all” concept and interculturalism Objective 3: Functional equality bodies to prevent and protect from discrimination on all grounds Objective 4: Raise awareness of all segments of the society about “one society for all” concept and interculturalism

226 http://www.stat.gov.mk/PrikaziPoslednaPublikacija.aspx?id=23 53

3. Implementation of the Strategy 3.1. Political level

The implementation of this strategy at the political level shall be monitored by the Permanent Advisory Body of GRNM for one Society and Interculturalism. It is also comprised, ex officio, of the following ministers: Justice, Culture, Education, Labour and Social Policy; Political System and Inter- Community Relations, representatives of the Prime Minister’s Cabinet, then the Ombudsman, Director of the Commission for Inter-community Relations, president of the Commission for Protection against Discrimination, president of the Council for Cooperation and Development of the Civil Society, as well as representatives of the academic community.

The main role of the permanent advisory body is to propose measures and activities to the Government related to the development of the concept of “One society and interculturalism”. This body shall review the recommendations and reports of international bodies and commissions. As a rule, the Permanent Advisory Body shall convene four times a year to review the implementation report of the Strategy and Action Plan, as well as to consider the linkage of the priorities with other strategic documents. The agenda, minutes, materials and conclusions from the sessions of the Permanent Advisory Body shall be published on the websites of the Ministry of Political System and Inter-Community Relations and on the GRNM.

3.2. Coordination, monitoring, reporting, and implementation risks The monitoring and reporting on the implementation of the Strategy and the Action Plan shall be carried out by the Coordination Body of the PMRNM, in cooperation with line ministries. This body shall coordinate the process of implementation of the Strategy for one Society and Interculturalism; ensuring linkages and compliance with other strategic documents; monitoring of the implementation of the Action Plan of this Strategy and making recommendations to the GNRM for taking appropriate measures in the event of non-implementation or difficulties in implementation; prioritization of key activities in the implementation of this strategy, as well as planning of future activities. Entities responsible for the functional system of monitoring the implementation, evaluation and reporting at the cluster level shall pay particular regard to the degree of realisation of priorities and objectives at the level of cluster/strategic area, to adherence to the dynamics of implementation of measures and activities, efficiency and effectiveness in the use of funds and to the visibility of policy effects which are implemented. The monitoring of implementation is ongoing activity, in accordance with the dynamics of measures and activities defined in the action plan of the pertinent strategic area. The monitoring of the Strategy implies gathering data about the level of accomplished activities and determining possible risks that may arise from unaccomplished activities or unfulfilled results. Four times a year, the Coordination Body shall submit a report to the Permanent Advisory Body and to the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia on the implementation of the Action Plan of the Strategy for One Society and Interculturalism. The reports shall be published on the GNRM website. This will provide an overview of the degree of accomplished strategic areas, as well as potential risks. The evaluation will be done by independent experts in the medium term (two years), as well as after expiry of the timeframe of the Strategy for One Society and Interculturalism 2020-2023. Based on the reports on the level of implementation and the findings of the assessment, the Action Plan of the Strategy will be dully revised, which shall be the basis for the next strategy. In order to ensure transparency and inclusiveness in the monitoring and reporting process, the Coordination Body, as well as the Permanent Advisory Body, will cooperate regularly with all stakeholders.

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Namely, public debates will be held at least once a year on the level of implementation and the achieved results of the Strategy for One Society and Interculturalism 2020-2023 where proposals will be considered for revising the Action Plan of the Strategy. The public debates will be open to all stakeholders.

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Annex 1: Action plan – enclosed

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