Availability of Information on Functioning of Judicial Council (MK0205)

Which public issue does the commitment address?

The Judicial Council of North Macedonia has a dual role when it comes to transparency in the judiciary system. On one hand, it has an active role in monitoring the transparency and openness of the judiciary. On the other hand, it is seen as a passive entity that must fulfill legal obligations to achieve transparency. The Law on the Judicial Council of North Macedonia stipulates obligations for the Council to publish on its website essential data, including: the election of its members (Article 14 and Article 25), processed quarterly and annual reports on the judiciary's work (Article 36, paragraph 1, point 14), records of its sessions (Article 39), decisions made in a repeated procedure (Article 72, paragraph 5), and its annual reports. According to recent analyses, the accessibility of the Judicial Council of North Macedonia is rated poorly, indicating that the Council lacks effective channels of communication with citizens and the media. There is no guide for filing complaints and submissions from citizens through the website, nor is there a guide for the media. The Council's obligations arising from citizen submissions are regulated by the Law on the Judicial Council of North Macedonia. However, there is no information on the Council's website regarding the submission or response to citizen submissions in North Macedonia. The principle of transparency is also at a low level because, despite good ratings in terms of available information about the organizational structure, there are no policies for public procurement, and information related to conducted public procurements is not published. The Judicial Council holds information according to the Law on Free Access to Information, which means it is obliged to fulfill the obligations arising from that law.

Main goal

-Increased availability and quality of information held by the Judicial Council, and facilitating citizens' access to submit petitions to the Council. -Standardization of the quality and volume of data that courts must publish as a mandatory requirement. -Establishment of standards and methods for publishing data on the website of the Judicial Council. -Easier access for filing complaints and submissions from citizens through the website of the Judicial Council of North Macedonia. -Improvement of the functionality of the website of the Judicial Council of North Macedonia.

How will the commitment contribute to solving the problem?

The commitment directly impacts access to information, the accountability of institutions, and public participation in the work of the courts by enabling standards and procedures for data publication and establishing tools for citizens of North Macedonia to submit complaints and petitions.

Why is this commitment relevant?

The commitment enables improvement of the legal framework and accountability mechanisms, making it crucial for public accountability in the judiciary.

Additional Information

The commitment contributes to increasing the transparency of the Judicial Council of North Macedonia by improving the quality and accessibility of data and information about its operations, in line with Goal 16 "Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions," Target 16.6: Developing effective, accountable, and transparent institutions at all levels.

Milestones | Indicators (enter measurable indicators/criteria for monitoring and verifying the achievement) | Activity Implementer (Courts, judiciary institutions, NGOs, or other) | Start date - End date

1.3.1 Defining the data catalog based on previous practices, history of requests for access to public information, and conducted consultations. | Judicial Council of North Macedonia | 02.2024 - 06.2024

1.3.2 Preparation of standard operating procedures and definition of process maps for publishing data on the website of the Judicial Council. | A reduced number of requests for free access to public information to the Judicial Council of North Macedonia. | Judicial Council of North Macedonia | 06.2024 - 12.2024

1.3.3 Preparation of a guide and establishment of a tool for filing complaints and submissions from citizens through the website of the Judicial Council of North Macedonia. | Increased number of submissions from citizens of North Macedonia through the website of the Judicial Council of North Macedonia and decreased number of rejected submissions by citizens. | Judicial Council of North Macedonia | 06.2024 - 12.2024

1.3.4 Implementation of identified necessary software enhancements on the website of the Judicial Council of North Macedonia | New section on the website with more information for the media and on the ways to submit complaints to the Judicial Council of North Macedonia. | Judicial Council of North Macedonia | 01.2025 - 12.2025