OSCE meeting on improving lawmaking process opens in Skopje

SKOPJE, 15 October 2009 - An OSCE-supported meeting that looks at how the lawmaking process can be improved by introducing mechanisms to monitor the implementation of newly enacted legislation opened in Skopje today.

The meeting, supported by the OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), brings together representatives of government ministries, the national assembly, the non-governmental sector, academia and foreign experts.

It is the last in a series of events that aimed to improve the transparency and efficiency of the country's lawmaking process. The meetings followed an assessment conducted by ODIHR in 2007 at the request of the Justice Ministry Previous meetings focused on policy development in law-making, impact assessment of laws, drafting skills of legislators, public participation and the harmonization of the national laws with European Union legislation.

"Good legislation is the product of a democratic, transparent, inclusive, well-planned lawmaking process. It is based on careful policy-making and analysis. The OSCE Mission to Skopje will continue to support the authorities in their efforts to improve lawmaking procedures and practices," said Ambassador Jose Luis Herrero, Head of OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje.

Justice Minister Mihajlo Manevski added: "The Justice Ministry set as key priority to continuously monitor the implementation of laws and work on their advancement in order to improve citizens' access to justice, guaranteeing their rights and freedoms as well as fulfilment of their obligations."

Following the meeting, a report with recommendations that have emerged from the consultation process will be submitted to the government for consideration and action.

"The adoption of new legislation is not the end of the law-making process. It is crucial to make arrangements, at the earliest stage possible, for monitoring the implementation of legislation, in particular with regards administrative capacity, financial resources and the availability of trained personnel," said Denis Petit, Deputy Head of ODIHR's Democratization Department.