Deepening of the reform process in Chapter 23 is needed

On June 5th. 2018, the European Policy Institute – Skopje (EPI) and the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in the Republic of Macedonia held the final conference of the project “Network 23+” under the title “ Chapter 23: Pandora’s box or a key for good governance?”. The conference was held within the framework of the project Network 23+, financially supported by the European Union and co-financed by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Belgrade. The event was supported by the Municipality of Centar.

The conference opened with the opening remarks of EPI’s director, Simonida Kacarska, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Bujar Osmani, Minister of Justice, Renata Deskoska, Mayor of the Municipality of Centar, Sasa Bogdanovic and the president of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, Gordan Kalajdziev.

The conference emphasized the need to deepen the reforms in Chapter 23, in order to promote the rule of law in the Republic of Macedonia. In this regard, the Government stressed the need for cooperation with the civil society organizations from Network 23. Speakers at the conference gave concrete insights and recommendations on the areas of Chapter 23, which will be available in the short document that will follow soon.

The sessions of the conference were divided in the structure of Chapter 23. Significant contribution was given by the panelists at the sessions, as well as the other participants of the conference, who took part in the debate. Panelists at the conference were:

Judiciary

• ●  Dr. Xhemali Saiti, Judge in the Supreme Court and President of the Association of Judges
• ●  Mr. Voislav Gavrovski, Deputy Public Prosecutor
• ●  Ms. Lence Ristovska, Special Public Prosecutor
• ●  Prof. Dr. Lazar Nanev, Judge and President of the Council for Prevention Against Juvenile Delinquency – grantee of Network 23+
• ●  Ms. Natali Petrovska, Director of the Coalition “All for Fair Trials” – grantee of Network 23+
• ●  Mr. Zoran Jankuloski, Director of the Association of Financial Workers of the Local Self-Government Units and Public Enterprises – grantee of Network 23+

Fight against corruption

• ●  Dr. Rozeta Trajan, Secretary General of the State Commission for Prevention of Corruption
• ●  Prof. Dr. Misho Dokmanovik, Chairperson of the Institute for Strategic Research and Education and Professor at the Faculty of Law “Iustinianus Primus”, Skopje – grantee of Network 23+
• ● Ms. Ana Đurnić, Institute Alternativa, Montenegro
• ● Mr. Vladimir Mihajlović, European Policy Centre, Serbia

These sessions were moderated by Ms. Gordana Duvnjak, journalist and editor at 1TV

Fundamental Rights

• ● Ms. Uranija Pirovska, Director of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights
• ● Mr. Idzet Memeti, Ombudsman
• ● Dr. Mirjana Lazarova Trajkovska, former Judge in the European Court of Human Rights and a visiting fellow at the Renmin University of China
• ● Prof. Dr. Natasha Gaber-Damjanovska, former Judge in the Constitutional Court
• ● Mr. Aleksandar Nikolov, Director of Association Zenith and expert of the CSO Women Action – grantee of Network 23+
• ● Ms. Radmila Stojkovska Aleksova, Open the windows – grantee of Network 23+

Necessary preconditions for exercising the rights of the EU citizens, the right to vote and be voted in local elections

• ● Mr. Sasha Bogdanovik, Mayor of the Municipality of Centar
• ● Mr. Dimitar Pehlivanov, Expert on European Integration, Bulgaria
• ● Mr. Ivan Novosel, House of Human Rights, Croatia
• ● Ms. Arlinda Ilazi, Multikultura – grantee of Network 23+

These sessions were moderated by Mr. Vasko Popetrevski, journalist.

Here you can find the pictures from the conference.

——

Project Network 23+ is financially supported by the European Union and co-financed by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Belgrade. The event was supported by the Municipality of Centar. The project is implemented by the European Policy Institute and the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in the Republic of Macedonia.