In an ongoing effort to equip lawyers in North Macedonia with the skills needed to uphold European standards in their daily practice, a selected group of lawyers participated in a specialised cascade training on freedom of expression and freedom of the media, in collaboration with the Bar Association of North Macedonia.

The training focused on key topics including freedom of expression principles, hate speech, and journalist protection. Participants engaged in case studies from the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg alongside with analysis of domestic laws and rulings, gaining insights into the boundaries between protected expression and hate speech.

Council of Europe consultants provided valuable guidance on international standards, Council of Europe recommendations, and recent legislative updates in North Macedonia, especially in the Criminal Code, which aim to align the country’s laws with EU and Council of Europe principles and enhance journalist protections.

This activity was organised by the Division for co-operation on freedom of expression under the action “Protecting freedom of expression and of the media in North Macedonia (PRO-FREX),” which is part of the joint programme of the European Union and Council of Europe "Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye 2023-2026”.