Publisher: Центар за истражување и креирање политики

The new Law on the Municipality Boundaries (Law on territorial Organization) and the failed Referendum of 2004

The new Law on the Municipality Boundaries (Law on territorial Organization) and the failed Referendum of 2004

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

Keywords: Macedonia; democratisation; decentralised government; interethnic relations

This paper will discuss recent political events in Macedonia, concerning the implementation of the Ohrid Agreement in the sphere of development of decentralized government and in particular regarding the events surrounding the referendum on the newly adopted Law on Territorial Organization. On 3rd September 2004 the Macedonian parliament adopted a decision to hold a referendum on 7th November. If successful, the referendum, initiated by the World Macedonian Congress (WMC) in early 2004, would have effectively required a repeal of the newly passed Law on Territorial Organization, City of Skopje and Financing on Units of Local Self-Government, and a return to the status quo ante of 123 municipalities. The new Law has reduced the numbers of municipalities to 84. The calling of the referendum has also forced the postponement of local elections, previously delayed and rescheduled for 21st November, and now required by law to take place by 31st March 2005. A Law on Territorial Organization was part of the indispensable package of laws necessary to ensure the decentralization process, regarded as a crucial component of the Ohrid Framework Agreement (OFA) of 2001. The international community expressed widespread concern about the potential impact of the referendum on the Ohrid process and on inter-ethnic relations.

General Issues Affecting the Shtip Economy and the Apparel and Textile Industries

Општи проблеми на економијата во Штип и индустријата за производство на облека

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

Keywords: Enforcing Payments; Labor legislation; Employment Protection Legislation; Transition Economies; Access to Finance; Bureaucratic Obstacles to Doing Business;

Macedonian Clothes for Europe

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.

Achieving Gender Equality in Macedonia

Кон родово рамноправна Македонија

Author(s): / Language(s): English,Macedonian

Ho to make the Economy of Gostivar a Champion?

Si të Bëhet e Suksessme Ekonomia në Gostivar?

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

Rationalization of Health-Care Services in Macedonia

Rationalization of Health-Care Services in Macedonia

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

World Bank Recipe for the Macedonian Pension Reform - Too expensive and overregulated -

Ецепт на Светска банка за реформите во македонскиот пензиски сиситем - скап и премногу регулиран

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

Strengthening Cross-Border Cooperation in the Western Balkan Regarding Migration Management

Strengthening Cross-Border Cooperation in the Western Balkan Regarding Migration Management

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

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

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

Keywords: Gender roles; Unpaid Care Work; Gender responsive budget;

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.

The Independence of Kosovo and the Consolidation of Macedonia – A Reason to Worry?

The Independence of Kosovo and the Consolidation of Macedonia – A Reason to Worry?

Author(s): Zhidas Daskalovski,Dane Taleski / Language(s): English

This paper has three chapters. The first part unfolds the past Macedonian ethnic politics and the status of Kosovo using instruments from theories of transition and consolidation. The second part is an analysis of the public opinion in Macedonia from May 2007 to May 2008, focusing more particularly on the views of the ethnic communities of Albanians and Macedonians in the Republic of Macedonia. The analysis encompasses the views toward Kosovo in various aspects from personal sentiments toward Kosovo to practical issues like the recognition and border demarcation. As a conclusion, the third and last part of the paper analyses the possible implications in Macedonia from the independence of Kosovo.

Migration and Development

Migration and Development

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.

Property Devolution in Macedonia. Issues and Challenges ahead

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.

The Assessment of Research Capacities in Social Sciences in Macedonia

The Assessment of Research Capacities in Social Sciences in Macedonia

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

The Center for Research and Policy Making from Skopje compiled this report for the University of Freiburg as a part of the Regional Research Promotion Program in the Western Balkans (RRPP), supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The Report provides a review of the current state of Social Science research capacities and funding opportunities in Macedonia. For this purpose, data on the following actors were collected: - The Ministry of Education and Science; - The Academy of Sciences and Arts; - 1 public university (Ss. Cyril and Methodius); - 1 private university (South East European University); - 3 research institutes (2 public and 1 independent); - 8 policy research organisations (think thanks); and - 8 international donor organisations Recommendations are provided specifically for each type of research institution and generally, on the level of national policies.

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

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

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

Keywords: EU Progress Reports;

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.

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

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

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

The Status of “Incitement of Ethnic, Racial and Religious Hatred” Offense under the Criminal Code of Macedonia after the Vranishkovski Case

The Status of “Incitement of Ethnic, Racial and Religious Hatred” Offense under the Criminal Code of Macedonia after the Vranishkovski Case

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

Keywords: ethnic hatred; racial hatred; religious hatred; Vranishovski case;

Macedonia and trhe EU-Rules regarding the Origin of Textile Merchandise

ЕУ правилата за потекло во врска со текстилот и Македонија

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

Limitations of Chances of Doctors to get employed in the Public Health System - Related Activities in additional Private Health Institutions

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

From in School Year 2008/2009 on Participation in Religious Education will become compulsory in Primary Schools

Задолжително изучување на веронаука во основните училишта ќе биде воведено од учебната 2008/2009 година

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

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

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?