At the beginning of 2024, Transparency International-Macedonia published the report: “National Integrity System of North Macedonia”, which was prepared within the project “EU4 Rule of Law: Citizen Engagement for Public Integrity (CEPI) in the Western Balkans and Turkey”, funded by the European Union and the Government of Switzerland.
The report contains an analysis of the situation with the pillars of the state’s integrity in relation to corruption and the effectiveness of national efforts to deal with corruption.
One of the pillars is dedicated to the media, with overall pillar score 58,98.
Pillar Recommendations
- The Academy for judges and prosecutors along with the Council of Media Ethics of Macedonia and the Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services needs to provide training to judges for the correct application of the Law on Defamation and Insult in accordance with international standards and practices, guaranteeing that state and party officials refrain from lawsuits against investigative journalists and the media for revealing information of public interest.
- Media owners need to give full legal protection to their journalists in court processes conducted against them after publishing articles on corruption. That way, journalists will feel encouraged to investigate and report on corruption in the knowledge that the media is behind them.
- Journalists should use more sources of information about corruption and not rely only on state institutions’ sources. Moreover, they can research the systemic problems uncovered by their findings and which allow for corruption.
National Integrity System Assessment 2023
