OSCE Mission to Skopje supports public administration in legal drafting

SKOPJE, 19 October 2011 – Improving the drafting of legislation is the aim of an OSCE-supported conference on regulation policy that started in Skopje today.

The two-day conference, organized by the OSCE Mission to Skopje in co-operation with the Ministry of Information Society and Administration, brings together government officials, representatives from relevant institutions, and international experts to discuss  improving the quality of legislation, as an indispensable means for advancing the rule of law and democracy.

The conference will focus on the issues of transparency and inclusiveness in the lawmaking process, standardized legislative drafting standards to ensure the consistency of legislation, and improved access to legislation.

“This conference capitalizes on the past achievements of the government in regulatory reform. We expect it to further facilitate the process of building a national consensus about key regulatory instruments as well as on measures that need to be undertaken and embedded into an explicit and comprehensive policy for better regulation. The OSCE remains fully committed to assisting the authorities in ensuring an inclusive, transparent, evidence-based and efficient lawmaking process that results in good quality and accessible legislation,” said the Head of OSCE Mission to Skopje, Ambassador Ralf Breth.

Marta Arsovska-Tomovska, the Deputy Minister of Information Society and Administration, added: “In the long and complex process of public administration reform, the drafting and implementation of laws are one of the most important aspects. This conference will provide the participants with an opportunity to discuss how better regulation policy can ensure and improve efficiency, transparency and inclusiveness in the process of proposing and implementing laws.”

It is expected that the conference will contribute to setting a common agenda and speeding up the pace of regulatory reforms in the country in line with European and international standards of democratic lawmaking.