In 2016, Transparency International – Macedonia (TI-M) prepared the report: “The National Integrity System of Macedonia”, which contains an analysis of the situation with the pillars of integrity of Macedonia in relation to corruption and the effectiveness of national efforts to deal with corruption. Within this report, an analysis was conducted and an assessment for 15 pillars which are part of the country’s state system was prepared. The assessment is conducted according to a methodology prepared by Transparency International. Within this report, the work of the Ombudsman was analyzed.
The report gave recommendations for improvement of the Ombudsman’s work. TI-M is preparing a new report that should be published during October 2023. For the purposes of this report, the fulfilment of the recommendations was also analyzed.
Recommendation 1: The Law on the Ombudsman needs to be changed and amended in order to ensure full compliance with the Paris Principles relating to human rights bodies, notably to extend the Office’s mandate to the promotion of human rights.
In order for the Ombudsman to obtain the status of a National Institution for the Protection of Human Rights, additional changes to the legal regulations and compliance with the Paris Principles on Human Rights are required.
Recommendation 2: The Ombudsman’s office requires additional financial and human resources in order to fulfil its competences.
The budget has been slightly increased in recent years and does not reflect the real needs of the Ombudsman’s office. Additional funds are required to build and increase the capacity of employees. As of 2022, out of a total of 183 planned jobs, only 83 have been filled.
Recommendation 3: The Government and the Parliament should introduce a legal provision making it mandatory for there to be a follow-upon the recommendations of the Ombudsman. This provision should state clear deadlines and introduce appropriate sanctions for cases in which recommendations are not followed up.
Additional engagement and communication between institutions is required in order to improve the implementation of Ombudsman’s recommendations.
This activity is produced within the framework of the project: EU4 Rule of Law: Citizen Engagement for Public Integrity (CEPI) in the Western Balkans and Turkey supported by the European Union. The statements in this infographic do not represent the statements of the European Union.
