ASSESSING THE QUALITY OF DEMOCRACY: CONSULTATION PROCESS IN PRE-LEGISLATIVE STAGE IN NORTH MACEDONIA
ASSESSING THE QUALITY OF DEMOCRACY: CONSULTATION PROCESS IN PRE-LEGISLATIVE STAGE IN NORTH MACEDONIA

Summary/Abstract: In the consultation process of the pre-legislative stage the relevant stakeholders are involved by bringing new ideas and receiving timely information on the process of adoption of new laws. Macedonian Government started to implement regulatory reform and supporting the consultation process by adapting relevant regulation and creation of National Single Electronic Register of Regulations – ENER. However, certain draft-laws, such as those adopted in urgent procedure are not visible on this database, thus not subject to consultation process. The aim of the study was to assess that “invisible” part of draft legislation. The results of the research identify that laws adopted under urgent procedure in 2014 represent 58% of the total number of the passed laws, whereas in 2017 this percentage is 43%. This could be interpreted as insufficient stakeholder’s consultations. In addition, the results of the research were compared with the neighbouring countries. The comparison research shows that the percentage of the laws adopted in an urgent procedure in Macedonia compared to those with the neighbouring countries is similar. Nevertheless, further research on this issue is necessary in order to be analysed from different viewpoints such as: whether the criteria for adopting laws in urgent procedure stipulated in the regulation were really satisfied in the practice as well as comparison with the practice in the countries with more developed institutions and democracy.

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