North Macedonia Action Plan Review 2021-2023 – For Public Comment

In 2022, the Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM)The Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM) is OGP’s accountability arm and the main means of tracking progress in participating countries. The IRM provides independent, evidence-based, and objective ... published the Action PlanAction plans are at the core of a government’s participation in OGP. They are the product of a co-creation process in which government and civil society jointly develop commitments to open governmen... Review for North Macedonia’s fifth action plan. The report provides a technical review of the action plan’s characteristics and the strengths and challenges the IRM identifies to inform a stronger implementation process.

In North Macedonia, the IRM’s findings are summarized below:

North Macedonia’s fifth action plan exceeds the ambitionAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, OGP commitments should “stretch government practice beyond its current baseline with respect to key areas of open government.” Ambition captures the po... of previous plans, particularly in public procurementTransparency in the procurement process can help combat corruption and waste that plagues a significant portion of public procurement budgets globally. Technical specifications: Commitments that aim t... transparencyAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, transparency occurs when “government-held information (including on activities and decisions) is open, comprehensive, timely, freely available to the pub... More, public-service delivery, and access to justiceAccessible justice systems – both formal and informal – ensure that individuals and communities with legal needs know where to go for help, obtain the help they need, and move through a system tha... More for vulnerable groups. Full implementation could position North Macedonia as a regional leader in the Western Balkans in key open government areas and address priorities in the EU accession process. Given the large scale and scope of the action plan, close collaboration between public institutions and civil society is needed for strong results.

The report is available in English and in Macedonian. The public comment period closed 7 July 2022.