Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia

Please find below information about the institution selected.

Contact point for EU matters:

Phone: +389 2 311 62 87 Email Mrs. Marijana Opašinova Šundovska

Parliament websites:
Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia (EN)
L'assemblèe de la Rèpublique de Macèdoine du Nord (FR)

Since its independence in January 1991, the Republic of North Macedonia (today Republic of North Macedonia) has emphasised membership in the European Union as one of its trategic objectives. While carrying out this commitment, the Republic of North Macedonia has promoted itself as a reliable partner and ally of the European Union which passed a series of stages in its EU relations, its approximation and integration in the EU. The Republic of North Macedonia was the first among SAP countries to sign a Stabilisation and Association Agreement in April 2001.

On 22 March 2004, in Dublin, Republic of Ireland, the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia submitted its application for Membership in the EU, confirming its continuous and clear political commitment for joining the European Union. At the Brussels Summit on 17 December 2005, the European Council decided that the Republic of North Macedonia be granted candidate status for European Union membership.

THE PARLAIMENT AT A GLANCE

The Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia is a representative body of the citizens and the legislative power of the Republic is vested in it. The organization and functioning of the Assembly are regulated by the Constitution and by the Rules of Procedure. It is composed of 120 MPs, which are are elected at general, direct and free elections and by secret ballot for a term of four years. The powers of the Assembly are determined by the Constitution and the Law on the Assembly.

EU MATTERS

In 1998, the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia adopted a Declaration on the Development of Relations between the Republic of North Macedonia and the European Union, and in 2000 a Declaration on Upgrading the Level of Relations with the European Union. While stressing the membership of the European Union as a strategic objective, the Declarations emphasised the commitment to harmonising the Macedonian legislation with the acquis, ensuring parliamentary scrutiny of the executive in the process of the approximation to the Union, reaching agreement among the political parties in the Assembly on the key issues of the integration in the Union and raising public awareness for the significance and real implications of the integration process.

On 18 April 2003, the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia set up the Committee on European Affairs, as a working body authorised for examining the issues relevant for the process of the European integration of the Republic of North Macedonia and giving opinions on the draft acts harmonising our legislation with the acquis. Republic of North Macedonia being a candidate country for EU membership, the Committee on European Affairs of the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia takes part in the Conference of Community and European Affairs Committees of Parliaments of the European Union (COSAC). The Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia was one of the initiators for the establishment of COSAP (Conference of European Affairs Parliamentary Committees from SEECP countries).

The structured dialogue of the states having signed association agreements with the European Union is conducted at various levels and thus, once the Stabilisation and Association Agreement entered into force in 2004, the Republic of North Macedonia established direct bilateral relations with the European Parliament, through the establishment of the RNM-EU Joint Parliamentary Committee. It was set up in accordance with Article 114 of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, and its functioning is in practical terms identical to all the other EU JPCs.

In 2003, the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia, at its session held on 11 June, adopted a Declaration on the Role of the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia in the Parliamentary Dimension of the Stabilisation and Association Process.

On 13 February 2004, the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia adopted a Declaration on the Submission of an Application for Membership of the Republic of North Macedonia in the European Union, which was followed, in April the same year, by an official application for EU membership. On 17 December 2005, the Republic of North Macedonia acquired a candidate status for European Union membership.

At its session held on 19 November 2007, the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia passed a Decision for setting up a National European Integration Council which is the sole body in the country bringing together parliamentary, governmental and non-governmental officials. Its main goal is keeping up a high-level political support of the Republic of North Macedonia's European integration process, continuous and genuine dialogue and stable political consensus.

On 27 November 2007, the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia adopted a Resolution on the Priorities for the Accession of the Republic of North Macedonia in the European Union and Opening of Negotiations for EU Membership. In the document, the Assembly gave full support to the Government in fulfilling the necessary criteria for EU membership and expressed readiness of the Assembly to promote the reforms and accomplishments of the Republic of North Macedonia with a view to a quick start of negotiations for EU membership. On 15 December 2008, the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia adopted a Resolution on the Priorities in 2009 for the Accession of the Republic of North Macedonia in the European Union, giving account of the country's main priorities and priority actions of the Government and the Assembly necessary for fulfilling the criteria on the path to a full European Union membership.

After the publishing of its Report on 14 October 2009, the European Commission recommended opening negotiations for accession of the Republic of North Macedonia to the European Union. The decision has been based on the convincing progress and substantially addressed the key reform priorities, known as the 8+1 benchmarks, and the fulfilment of the Copenhagen political criteria in particular. Since then, each year the country receives a positive recommendation to start negotiations for EU membership, but the European Council has not yet taken a decision so far.

Top