INTRODUCTION
The US State Department's 2022 report on the human rights situation in North Macedonia highlights major problems, including ill-treatment in prisons, violence against journalists, severe corruption, lack of accountability for gender-based violence, and discrimination against LGBTQI+ people. Also highlighted was the inefficiency of the justice system, which is perceived as biassed in favour of the powerful and wealthy.
According to the report, freedom of expression is generally respected in the country, but protection for journalists is inadequate and attacks on the media go unpunished. One case highlighted in the report was that of Sonja Delevska, who was summoned for questioning by police after a Justice Ministry official she had written about reported her for harassment. The government has not restricted internet access or censored online content. Freedom of assembly and association were generally respected. However, civil liberties in the country were affected by problems such as a biassed judicial system, corruption and limited accountability.
FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION
Club named after Bulgarian fascist collaborator banned, claims infringement of Bulgarians’ freedom of association
The banning of a club in North Macedonia named after a Bulgarian nationalist who collaborated with the Nazis has caused concern in Sofia. On 16th March, the North Macedonian Ministry of Justice banned the club on the grounds that commemorating the nationalist Ivan Mihailov was offensive to Macedonians. In response, the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry expressed concern about the freedom of association of the country’s Bulgarian citizens. The ban, along with the naming of another club after Bulgaria's wartime king Boris III, has led to protests and threatens reconciliation efforts between the two nations. Bulgaria has previously obstructed North Macedonia’s EU accession talks over historical disputes. The reason given for the club's closure was that it had violated amendments to the Law on Associations and Foundations, which prohibit organisations from promoting military aggression, hatred, intolerance, genocide and support for fascism. The club has stated its intent to pursue the matter in front of the European Court of Human Rights, alleging infringement of its freedom of association.
Orthodox Church’s opposition to the introduction of sexual education in schools leads to attacks on feminist activists
The Macedonian Orthodox Church has come under fire from equality activists for opposing a proposed equality law and comprehensive sex education in schools. In March, the Church organised a series of debates entitled “Why NO to sex education in schools.” The Church also wrote to the Minister of Social Policy, Jovanka Trencevska, accusing her of being a “hostage of gender ideologues” and ignoring the will and interests of the majority of the population.
At one such event in the town of Strumica, local bishop Jakov Stobiski expressed concern about the draft law on gender equality, which he said was “ a danger to society” and violated basic human rights. During the discussion, gender equality activists were specifically targeted, accused by the opponents of the bill of propagating this “harmful” ideology. Most notably, the name of the executive director of the Margins Coalition, a civil society organisation that advocates for the sexual health of marginalised populations, was mentioned 28 times, and photos of her and other activists were projected on a screen shown to the audience. In response, the Platform for Gender Equality, of which Margins Coalition is a member, accused the church of promoting misogyny, propaganda and anti-women policies in order to maintain its political and economic power, often at the expense of citizens' rights. It also condemned local government involvement in events that incite hatred and threaten the safety of activists and organisations working for gender equality. They called for the swift adoption of the Law on Gender Equality to promote equality and individual freedoms.
Leaders of the country's five religious communities - the Macedonian Orthodox Church, the Islamic religious community, the Catholic Church, the Protestant Methodist Church and the Jewish community - all expressed concern about the proposed laws on civil registration and gender equality. They consider the recognition of the concept of gender identity in these laws unacceptable, citing their potential impact on vulnerable groups, such as children, and the alleged negative effects observed in other countries with “similar ideologies.”
FREEDOM OF PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY
On 17 March, Macedonian high school students protested in front of the Ministry of Education and Science, demanding a reduction in the curriculum content for their final exams. They believe that the extensive curriculum puts undue pressure on students and affects their ability to adequately prepare for the exams. The students have submitted a petition to the Ministry asking officials to address their concerns and revise the curriculum accordingly.
On 17th March, farmers from the villages of Ljubodrag, Umin Dol, Novo Selo, and Tromeđa in Kumanovo staged another blockade on the regional road to protest against the culling of pigs African swine fever. They claim that no pigs have been infected or died in their area and accuse the authorities of unfairly singling out small producers. Local community leaders and pig farmers have called for a meeting with representatives of the Food and Veterinary Authority to discuss their apprehensions.
On 24th March, employees of the Ministry of Culture, the Cultural Heritage Protection Office and the Film Agency gathered in front of the Ministry of Finance to express their dissatisfaction with current wages. The employees' union has put forward a proposal for a collective agreement that provides for fair and justified salary increases, but this was negatively assessed by the Ministry of Finance last year. The protesters are demanding impartial treatment and proper recognition for state administration employees and are calling on their colleagues from other ministries to join their cause. The protests continued throughout the reporting period.
On 30th March, health workers protested in front of the Ministry of Health building. The demonstration was organised by the branch union of the Macedonian Medical Association and the employees' union of the Clinical Centre. They expressed their dissatisfaction with what they saw as the Ministry's and the Health Fund's dismissive attitude towards their demands for an annex to the collective agreement, which would include salary increases in light of the recent minimum wage increase. The unions assured that patient care would not be affected, but warned of a possible general strike in the public health sector if their demands were not met. In the run-up to the protest, the public health unions had held talks with the ministry. The day after the protest, an agreement was reached on the annex to the collective agreement.
On 29th March, a protest was held in front of the Ministry of Health to demand answers to the tragic death of a six-year-old girl in Bitola Clinical Hospital. Participants demanded “justice for Jana” and criticised the health system in the country for dysfunction, politicisation, inadequate health care and a tendency to shift blame onto patients. On 7th April, another protest took place in the city of Bitola. As a gesture of solidarity with the deceased girl, Bitola residents held a peaceful demonstration in front of the Clinical Hospital. The participants expressed their dismay that such tragedies occur in modern medical institutions. To emphasise their point, they activated sirens and alarms. They said that such casualties are unacceptable in the 21st century. The demonstrators called for proactive inspections and not just reactive measures after tragic events.
On 30th March, the employees of Macedonian Railways - Transport (MRT) began a boycott, refusing to run as scheduled. Their demands include payment of the second part of February's salary, compensation for conductors' night shifts and the recruitment of 40 additional drivers. In February, the employee union had already submitted a request for the recruitment of new train drivers to the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the Ministry of Finance and the government. The boycott will continue until all demands are met, union representative Toni Dimovski explained.
Following a pause for the Easter holidays, on 11th April cystic fibrosis patients in North Macedonia announced their intention to resume their peaceful protests. This comes in response to the limited availability of the medication Trikafta, which has only been secured for 12 patients. This leaves other critical patients without access for an entire month. Representatives from the Cystic Fibrosis Association have drawn attention to the lack of progress in procuring Trikafta. They have expressed their concerns directly to the Ministry of Health, urging swift action from the relevant institutions. They have underscored the fact that neither the ministry nor the designated committee has initiated any meetings or communication on this matter.
In May, the Macedonian Philharmonic Orchestra expressed its dissatisfaction with the decision to house the recently formed National Jazz Orchestra in the Philharmonic building. They demonstrated their dissatisfaction by staging a performance in front of the Ministry of Culture. They accused the minister of manipulation and claimed that the move was not temporary but permanent. The president of the Philharmonic Union stressed that the official documents did not mention temporary accommodation and criticised the lack of proper analysis and consultation. If the decision is not reversed, the orchestra intends to move its protest in front of the government building.
On 10th April, archaeologists in North Macedonia staged a protest against a proposed legal change that would bypass government decision-making on archaeological finds along new highway routes. Under the amendments, construction companies will no longer have to report such discoveries to state authorities, but private construction supervisors will be able to handle the finds without having to report them. Archaeologists argue that this undermines the protection of cultural heritage and violates international conventions. The government's decision to speed up construction and sign a direct contract with Bechtel-ENKA, a Turkish-American company, has raised concerns about the possible destruction of archaeological sites. Parliament has passed several amendments to the law to facilitate the construction of the highway, but the amendment affecting archaeologists was not adopted. The reaction of civil society organisations, archaeologists and trade unions was critical. They called for the withdrawal of the proposed amendments and urged a comprehensive analysis and public debate to combat corruption risks and protect the rule of law.
On 27th April, protesters gathered outside Parliament demanding "freedom" and "justice" for those accused in a repeat trial for their involvement in the 2017 storming of the national legislature, demanding their release and claiming that they should never have been imprisoned. Thirty-three people had originally been charged with the event, with 15 of them, including five opposition coalition MPs, granted amnesty due to the signing of the Prespa Agreement. Sixteen others were convicted on terrorism charges. The Court of Appeal later overturned the original verdict for the organisers and ordered a new trial to consider issues related to the amnesty law. The opposition VMRO-DPMNE party recently requested an amnesty for those convicted, but the proposal was not adopted by the Assembly.
On 1st May, trade unions in northern Macedonia celebrated International Workers' Day with protests in front of the government building to demand higher and dignified wages, respect for collective agreements and reasonable working hours. The speakers considered that it is unacceptable for government officials’ salaries to increase while workers' wages stagnate, especially in times of inflation. They also opposed proposed legislation that could lead to a 60-hour work week, saying it would violate workers' fundamental right to reasonable working hours. The unions continue to campaign for the signing of the General Collective Agreement for the Public Sector, which would restore benefits such as compensation for annual leave.
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
According to the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) World Press Freedom Index 2023, positive developments related to press freedom have been recorded in North Macedonia: The country rose to 38th place from 57th last year, but concerns remain about editorial independence, partisan regulations and violence against journalists in the country. Overall, the index reflects an unstable situation where hostility towards journalists is increasing and government repression is growing in many countries.
The parliamentary debate on the amendments to the Audio and Audiovisual Media Services Act continued in April 2023. Civil society organisations and media associations expressed concerns about the possible impact the new legislation could have on media pluralism and freedom. While the proposed amendments aim to align national legislation with European Union rules and address the changing media landscape by tackling issues such as transparency, media ownership and licencing, concerns have also been raised that this could have a negative impact on pluralism and open the door to greater government influence. Critics contend that the amendments might jeopardise independent media and consolidate media ownership in a select few hands. The amendments will be submitted to parliament for further deliberation and a vote.