In autumn last year, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities carried out a mission to observe the municipal elections in “The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” held on 15 October 2017. Further to this observation, a recommendation, presented by Rapporteur Karim VAN OVERMEIRE (Belgium, NR), was adopted on 28 March, in the frame of the 34th Session.
According to the Congress, the elections were, by and large, well-organised and in line with international standards. The Rapporteur highlighted, in particular, improvement regarding the situation of the media, notably more balanced media coverage of the campaign and better working conditions for journalists.
“Despite these improvements, it needs to be said that the general atmosphere in the country is still characterised by deep divison and polarisation along ethnic and political lines”, said Karim VAN OVERMEIRE. The Rapporteur stressed the need for more transparency in the electoral process, which is relevant for the situation in the polling stations and at the level of the State Election Commission. According to him, it is particularly critical to ensure the separation of State and party interests, in order to provide a level playing field for all contestants, and to prevent the misuse of administrative resources during electoral processes.
The Congress invites the authorities of “The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” to pay further attention to the issue of accuracy of voters’ lists and to ensure the effective participiation of women in grassroots politics. Moreover, it recommends to improve the legal conditions for effective redress in electoral disputes in order to handle the complaints in an impartial manner. The Congress also encourages the authorities to organise training for electoral staff to ensure the coherent implementation of the legal framework.
The Report also reaffirms the need for municipalities to have access to adequate financial resources in general, and, more specifically, with regard to their capacity to organise local elections.
** 34th Session of the Congress **
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