The level of preparedness for Macedonia is between “some level of preparation” and “moderately prepared,” as the country has not made any progress in preventing and fighting against corruption. Corruption remains prevalent in many areas and is an issue of serious concern. The tragedy of 16 March 2025 in Kochani, during which a fire tore through a club killing 62 and injuring over 190 people, revealed enduring systemic challenges over the enforcement of anti-corruption measures, the European Commission’s (EC) progress Report on the country states, in the section on corruption.
SCPC needs to proactively provide policy guidance
“The preventive measures and the effective repression of corruption needs to be improved. The indictment imposed on the President of the State Commission for the Prevention of Corruption (SCPC), which led to her resignation, have brought the institution’s credibility into question. The SCPC needs to proactively provide policy guidance to prevent corruption, detect and report alleged instances of corruption and increase its efficiency in verifying asset declarations and oversight of election campaign financing,” the Report states.
The Report notes that the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the investigative centres and the law enforcement units should recruit specialised staff and receive financial support.
“High-level corruption cases frequently experience delays, reach the statute of limitations, or result in minimal sentences, which strengthens public scepticism about the effectiveness of the fight against corruption. Targeted risk assessments and specific measures are also needed to address corruption in the most vulnerable sectors. The Commission’s recommendations from last year were not addressed and therefore remain valid,” the Report adds.
Criminal assets should be confiscated
The Commission recommends that in the coming year, North Macedonia should adopt a new Criminal Code in line with the EU acquis and international standards. It needs to improve its track record in high-level corruption cases – with timely, professional, and transparent proactive investigations, prosecutions, final convictions, and recovery, including confiscation of criminal assets, value-based confiscation, extended confiscation and third-party confiscation.
The country has to “improve implementation of the national strategy for the prevention of corruption and conflict of interest, address pending the Council of Europe Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) recommendations, and draft the new anti-corruption strategy for 2026-2030. [It has to] allocate sufficient human and financial resources, including financial experts, to: (i) the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office for the Prosecution of Organised Crime and Corruption to ensure effective accountability in high-level corruption cases; and (ii) the State Commission for the Prevention of Corruption to improve the verification of assets declarations and the oversight of election campaign financing,” the Report highlights.
No progress for the judiciary
The judicial system of North Macedonia is between having some and a moderate level of preparation and made no progress, the Report notes.
“The country started implementing the Strategy for Judicial Reform (2024-2028) and continued to implement the recommendations of the 2023 peer review mission on the Judicial Council. The overall independence and financial autonomy of the judiciary is undermined by the interference and pressure from other state branches, including attempts by Parliament to pressure members of the Judicial Council to resign, and the limited financial resources allocated. The staffing shortages in the judiciary are a concern as it affects the quality and efficiency of the justice system,” the Report adds.
