Publisher: Центар за истражување и креирање политики

Analysis of Internal Party Democracy in Macedonia

Author(s): Aleksandar Cekov,Zhidas Daskalovski / Language(s): English

This research study conducted by the Think Tank Center for Research and Policy Making (CRPM) in cooperation with various Macedonian authors deals with the topic of Internal Party Democracy in the Republic of Macedonia. It examines, describes, and compares the intra-party democracy in some of the bigger political parties in the Republic of Macedonia, in order to provide a basis for the development and consolidation of democratic structures and the possibilities for their members’ participation. (Publisherd in co-operation of CRPM and the Macedonian office of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation)

Analysis of the Consultation Process for the 2007 Progress Report on Macedonia

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

Macedonia is a European Union (EU) candidate country since 2005. The basis of its EU integration is “set” by the 2001 Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA). The fulfillment of the three sets of Copenhagen criteria is the milestone in the EU integration process, closely observed by the Commission. Macedonia, as other candidate countries is evaluated on the level of fulfillment of a set of preconditions or benchmarks set by the EU Commission (EC) aimed at approximating the national legal framework and political institutions to those of the countries of the European Union. This study seeks to explore the evaluation methods of the EU Commission concerning the Macedonian progress in the fulfillment of the set benchmarks. This analysis aims to disclose the process of progress assessment conducted by EC, with special focus on Macedonia. Moreover, it aims to analyze the capacity of the EC for relevant policy assessment. The main starting point is that the evaluating process has to rely on clearly defined rules and criteria, to be institutionally defined, not to leave room for subjectivism at any point of the exercise. We judge that, transparency, inclusion and openness are the principles of key importance, for this process.

Boosting Energy Efficiency: How can local Communities Contribute?

Author(s): Zlatko Simonovski,Nataša Markovska,Radovan Nikčević / Language(s): English

Campaign Financing under the New Electoral Code of the Republic of Macedonia. A Call for a Macedonian Buckley v. Valeo and beyond

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

Gender aware policy appraisal: Diagnosis related groups and unpaid care work of women

Author(s): Marija Risteska,Sanja Kostovska,Natalija Spasovska,Bashkim Bakiu,Ana Mickovska-Raleva,Andrej Pulejkov / Language(s): English

This document is the first gender aware policy appraisal prepared in Macedonia. It provides assessment of the implications of Diagnosis Related Groups (hereinafter: DRGs), policy measure introduced as payment tool at hospital level health care, on various groups of women and men (urban, rural and those belonging to an ethnic minority). The working hypothesis of this research and analysis was that the introduction of the DRG measure will inevitably decrease the length of stay in Macedonian hospitals / clinics and that the recovery and therefore care work for the ill will transfer from the public sphere (hospitals) to the private sphere (households). This will eventually create savings for the public health system and will increase the unpaid care work performed in Macedonian households. The research team has developed several research tools to depict who is affected by the shift emerging with the introduction of DRGs: times use survey of case study families who have ill family member discharged from DRG implementing hospital; nation-wide survey for care work including care for the ill; desktop review of legislative and policy framework of the health sector, the DRG system and unpaid work were employed in this study. The evidence gathered through this research show that indeed with the introduction of the DRG payment system at hospital level health care, the average length of stay of patients in hospitals decreases. The study offers sound estimates of the savings of the health system that are up to 34% of the Ministry of Health’s budget per year by using the DRG payment tool. What is more importantly this study proves the hypothesis that there is a link between the DRG system and unpaid care work as it shows that the care work as part of the domestic work increases once the system is used, even not in full capacity. The results of both times use survey and nation-wide survey of care work demonstrate that the burden of care work is disproportionately shared among female and male family members. Women spend 51% more time on unpaid care work for the ill family members than men (6 hours during weekends as compared to 3 hours for men). This work does not contribute to the country’s GDP though the study estimates that it values as equivalent to the part time salary of a nurse. The burden of care work taken by women has an effect on their professional and personal life. Women tend to decrease their working hours and therefore earn less in their formal employment, or even quit jobs; they have less time for themselves and for their children in particular. As a result of the analysis presented in this study we can conclude that the DRG policy measure is a budgetary tool that is not gender neutral. It creates significant gender inequality and will not contribute to the much needed change of patriarchal attitudes and deep-rooted stereotypes regarding the roles and responsibilities of women and men in the family and Macedonian society. Therefore, this study provides several practical and evidence based policy recommendations that will ease the implementation of the DRG policy measure and achieve the genuine objectives of hospital efficiency and effectiveness; but will also neutralize the gender implications the DRG system will have with the shift of care work from the hospitals to the homes of the patients.

Government is held accountable when everyone is holding Government accountable

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

Hit and Miss - The Dynamics of Undeclared Labor in Macedonia

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English,Macedonian

Undeclared work, being one of the main manifestations of hidden economy, becomes the bull’s-eye for many countries focusing on reshaping their social and economic policies in order to tackle this issue, especially since the onset of the economic crisis that hit Europe and the World in 2008. The most recent economic indicators coming from Europe show that this crisis has not concluded and European economies are yet to deal with its mid and long-term consequences. Macedonia and other Western Balkan countries are not exempt from this process, with job creation and policies targeting unemployment (28.2% as of Q2 2014) being a major concern and a focal point of political activity. Low growth prospects in the EU and sluggish economic conditions forecasted in 2014 are also limiting Macedonia’s growth prospects, which at this point are still positive at around 4% GDP growth annually (4.3% as of Q2 2014). In the following period, economic growth will dictate the unemployment rate while regulatory reforms targeted at labor policy, taxation, and inspections will dictate the extent of undeclared economy and, consequently, the risk of poverty and social exclusion that undeclared workers will be subjected to.

Internal Party Democracy in Kosovo

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

Is Skopje a Child-Friendly City?

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

Kufizimi i Mundësisë mjekët të punësuar në Shëndetësinë Publike të bëjnë veprimtari Plotësuese në Entet Shëndetësorë Private

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Albanian

Macedonian Clothes for Europe

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

This is an analysis of development problems in a former socialist country in South Eastern Europe. It is also a story about life in Stip a medium-sized town in Eastern Macedonia; the emergence of a new group of private entrepreneurs on the ruins of formerly socialist companies; and the policy responses to the emerging new economy by public institutions. The story explores the forces that have affected the people and economy of Stip in the past and the factors which are buffeting them today. Examining and investigating those forces and factors is crucial for anybody who wants to understand the current socio-economic situation of Macedonia. As Stip is traditionally the biggest center of clothing and textile production in Macedonia this study is important for understanding the overall situation in this sector. In this study we aim to explore what is the state of affairs of the textile and apparel industry. Is there a need for modernization and transformation to make it one of the economic driving forces of the country? Stip - due to its historical and regional importance for the textile production - shall be used as a case study for this sector.

Measuring Success of the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the European Union in the Case of Macedonia

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

The Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) is one of the most widely discussed and analyzed policy areas of the European Union (EU). The development of the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) within the framework of the CFSP took place at the end of the ‘90s, in a process that interacted with the unfolding of the crisis of the Balkan regional order. Given this context, I believe that a study on the development of the CFSP/ESDP has to investigate how the EU Crisis Management instruments have been used. The crisis that occurred in the Republic of Macedonia, in this respect, is a case of critical salience. Macedonia is a specific case in which both the civilian and the military dimension of EU Crisis Management mechanism were applied, and there exists widespread consensus in the EU on the fact that this was done successfully. However, when talking about successes or failures, a number of slippery questions arise: what indicators of success can one refer to? For example, does success refer to the fact that the ESDP mechanism has been activated without major setbacks, or to the way in which it has affected the situation in Macedonia? Is the Macedonian case a success for the CFSP? How is success determined? Which are its standards of measurement?

Migration and Development

Creating a Regional Labour Market and Labour Migrants as Response to Regional Market Demands

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

Since the democratic transition Macedonia has often been singled out among the other countries from South East Europe as having a very high unemployment rate. Due to historic reasons having much to do with the unsound economic policies during socialism on the eve of the transition period Macedonia had more than 150 thousand unemployed persons and about the same equal number of over-employed persons. As a result the country has not been very attractive for foreign citizens, especially when it comes to immigrating for economic purposes. In fact the Macedonian story is much more of emigration than of immigration. This trend has not changed during the transition years, the difference being that previous emigrants from the country were usually manual labourers, while today more frequently the highly educated work force is emigrating from the country. Hence, brain-drain is “one of the biggest problems of the country, linked with loss of investments in human capital, creative work force, etc.‟ Though lacking a comprehensive migration strategy, due to the Europeanization processes, Macedonia has made some progress in the recent years amending its legislation in the area of migration in compliance with the EU standards. However, for Macedonian perspective, there is not a great urgency in defining the “rules of the game” concerning labour migration to Macedonia. At the moment the country is not attractive for labour migrants. Since many of the challenges in this area are foreseen to be dealt at medium term, many changes of the legislation dealing with migration are expected to be seen in the near future.

More Care in Primary Health! More Care Centers in the Municipalities!

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Albanian,English,Macedonian

Open Government Partnership. Calls for Participation

Author(s): Qëndresa Sulejmani / Language(s): English

Perspectives of Women in Rural Areas

Author(s): Erika Kvapilová / Language(s): English

The present study is intended to provide a comprehensive assessment of the status of women in rural areas in the country as compared with the status of their male counterparts in rural areas and with the population of both men and women in urban areas, thus providing a baseline with which to design concrete measures leading to the empowerment of women in rural areas.The study provides an analysis of existing legislative and policy frameworks and explores the extent of the social exclusion of women in rural areas, including their exclusion from the labour market, from local public and social life, and from participation in local decision-making processes. In addition to voicing the needs and challenges of women in rural areas and highlighting the gaps that need to be addressed to improve their status, the study identifies the available opportunities to challenge the barriers these women face.This study thus encourages policy-makers to take stock of the disadvantages and challenges experienced by women in rural areas but also to look beyond these impediments and explore the potential these women have for their own advancement and for the development of their communities. The study offers insights into the needs and concerns of rural women and encourages local as well as national policy-makers and decision-makers to review community development from the perspectives of women in rural areas. It calls for local and national policies to be adapted to the realities faced by these women in order to remove the barriers they face on a daily basis. Last but not least, the study underlines the urgent need to ensure that rural women are included in key decision-making processes.

Property Devolution in Macedonia. Issues and Challenges ahead

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

This is a study of the decentralization process in Macedonia. It analyses and evaluates a particular aspect of the local governance in the country related to property devolution. The study considers issues such as property taxation, evaluation of property, illegal construction and relations between the central and the local government. Citizens‘ attitudes have also been surveyed and taken into account. An analysis of the laws and government acts related to property devolution is also made. Specific recommendations are offered to improve policies in this field too. Section I gives a broad overview of the decentralization effort in Macedonia. It describes all stages of this process from a historical point of view. In the following section an explanation of the research methodology is presented. Sections IV and V describes the area of property tax, together with all relevant aspects such as methodology for valuation, system of appeals, and so on. The empirical results are presented in Section VI. Specific issues are presented in Section VII. Finally, in Section VIII concluding remarks are drawn, and recommendations are given concerning possible directions for further improvement of the current situation.

Rationalization of Health-Care Services in Macedonia

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

Saving Democracy in Macedonia: What to do after the Wire-Tapping Scandal?

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English,Macedonian

Si të Bëhet e Suksessme Ekonomia në Gostivar?

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Albanian