Our latest policy brief, ” Citizens’ Voice in the Assembly: Citizen Perspectives from the National Deliberative Poll on the Role of the Assembly in North Macedonia’s EU Accession Process”, highlights key recommendations from the fifth National Deliberative Poll in North Macedonia!
The Deliberative Poll demonstrated that citizens are willing and able to engage with complex issues related to North Macedonia’s EU accession process when provided with balanced information, opportunities for discussion, and direct interaction with experts and decision-makers. The recommendations from the policy brief point to:
Strengthening citizen engagement: Establishing citizen panels and deliberative forums with clear parliamentary procedures and considering the most appropriate procedural basis for embedding such mechanisms in its regular work. Enhanced parliamentary oversight and public debates: The Assembly should communicate its oversight activities more proactively, particularly regarding the monitoring of accession-related reforms. Greater visibility of committee work, public hearings, and scrutiny mechanisms can improve public understanding of the Assembly’s role in the accession process.Interactive dialogue through NCEI and KEP: Organizing structured roundtable discussions bringing together MPs, citizens, and experts to discuss reform priorities.Promoting constructive cross-party consensus: The Assembly should provide space for substantive cross-party dialogue on accession-related reforms, particularly through the NCEI, KEP and other relevant parliamentary working bodies.
Clearer and more accessible communication: Improved communication from the Ministry of European Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, and the Assembly regarding how decisions are made and how EU reforms affect citizens.
