Political Risk:
Moderate
Score:
66/100
Defence and Security Policy and Policy Transparency
Q1
83/100
Is there formal provision for effective and independent legislative scrutiny of defence policy?
View Question
The National Assembly of North Macedonia has complete legislative power in the country [1]. Its exact role in the defence realm is defined as…
Explore
The effectiveness of Parliаment in general, and in the realm of defence in particular, is limited. Formally, Parliament and the Committee on Defence and…
Explore
Many reports from the Central Security Office (CSO) have noted that the Parliament is formally independent, but in practice this autonomy is compromised [1].…
Explore
Q2
58/100
Does the country have an identifiable and effective parliamentary defence and security committee (or similar such organisations) to exercise oversight?
View Question
The parliamentary Committee for Defence and Security (CDS) is tasked with overseeing and controlling the defence sector. The Rules and Procedures of the Assembly…
Explore
The composition of the Defence and Security Committee is varied. It consists of experts in their field; experienced Members of Parliament who have been…
Explore
The Defence and Security Committee regularly reviews country defence strategies or major defence policies depending on the time required for the preparation and publication…
Explore
The Defence and Security Committee oversees and reviews the defence budget and spending on an annual basis. In the past year, the Committee has…
Explore
There is no publicly available information on long-term investigations with regards to defence activities. The 2015 Difi report noted that this is partly because…
Explore
The Defence and Security Committee overviews defence policies but irregularly issues amendments or recommendations. During the post-2016 period, there is evidence of Committee recommendations…
Explore
Q3
69/100
Is the country’s national defence policy or national security strategy debated and publicly available?
View Question
Macedonian defence policies and security strategies have been frequently debated. Due to sharing responsibilities across the sectors of defence and security, executive and legislative…
Explore
The core of recent debates has been shaped by major security threats such as terrorism and transnational organised crime including corruption, regional conflicts and…
Explore
In the last 5 years, a number of public consultations have been organised. In particular, the Ministry of Defence has been very active in…
Explore
Documents relating to defence and security are easily accessible to the public: they are declared public and as such are publicly available [1]. However,…
Explore
Q4
67/100
Do defence and security institutions have a policy, or evidence, of openness towards civil society organisations (CSOs) when dealing with issues of corruption?
View Question
The Ministry of Defence, following the political changes of 2016, pursued a policy of “equal partnership with the civil society” and “active transparency” in…
Explore
The Constitution guarantees the citizens’ right to free association [1]. Legislation has existed since 1998 to regulate Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) with the latest…
Explore
There is no record of active cooperation between the Ministry of Defence and CSOs on the issue of corruption. However, on the Ministry of…
Explore
Q5
75/100
Has the country signed up to the following international anti-corruption instruments: UNCAC and the OECD Convention?
View Question
North Macedonia signed the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) on August 18, 2005 and ratified it on April 13, 2007 [1]. The Convention…
Explore
North Macedonia has formally adopted most of the legislation endorsed by the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) and has also signed a number…
Explore
Q6
75/100
Is there evidence of regular, active public debate on issues of defence? If yes, does the government participate in this debate?
View Question
Given North Macedonia’s specific geo-strategic position in the Balkans, as well as its fragile internal state, issues of defence and security have been a…
Explore
The Government has been generally transparent with the public regarding issues in the defence sector. The Government communicates its policies through public forums, an…
Explore
Q7
75/100
Does the country have an openly stated and effectively implemented anti-corruption policy for the defence sector?
View Question
There is no specific anti-corruption policy for the defence sector at a national level. The country strategy for anti-corruption is reflected in the Law…
Explore
The MoD implemented an Integrity Plan 2016-2019 with an Action Plan. The Integrity Plan is a three year document that focuses on institutional weaknesses.…
Explore
Q8
75/100
Are there independent, well-resourced, and effective institutions within defence and security tasked with building integrity and countering corruption?
View Question
Core units responsible for building integrity and countering corruption within the Ministry of Defence are the Internal Audit Department (IAD) and the Inspectorate of…
Explore
All units report directly to a senior member of the Ministry of Defence, Formally, the Internal Audit Department (IAD) is directly subordinated to the…
Explore
The 2016 Integrity Plan of the Ministry of Defence addressed the levels of awareness concerning corruption risks among the Ministry of Defence and Army…
Explore
Q9
NS/100
Does the public trust the institutions of defence and security to tackle the issue of bribery and corruption in their establishments?
View Question
This indicator is not assigned a score in the GDI. Public opinion surveys portray the military and defence sectors as the least corrupted. Transparency…
Explore
Q10
75/100
Are there regular assessments of the areas of greatest corruption risk for ministry and armed forces personnel, and are the findings used as inputs to the anti-corruption policy?
View Question
Until 2015, no specific corruption-risk assessment had been carried out within the Ministry of Defence. Corruption cases that emerged were not actioned against by…
Explore
The 2016 Ministry of Defence Integrity Plan is built up over three years. It is reviewed on a regular and case by case basis,…
Explore
The risk assessment mechanisms within the defence sector have significantly improved since 2015. The Integrity Plan offers an institutionalised and functional approach on a…
Explore
Defence Budgets
Q11
67/100
Does the country have a process for acquisition planning that involves clear oversight, and is it publicly available?
View Question
The Public Procurement Bureau, acting under the Law on Public Procurement, outlines Macedonia’s public acquisition processes [1]. The Law stipulates that this process must…
Explore
The Ministry of Defence publishes its annual procurement plans on its website while, although their planning process is internal. In 2015, the Ministry of…
Explore
The Defence and Security Council reviews annual defence procurements, and Parliament is involved in this process. The main tasks for the Defence and Security…
Explore
Q12
63/100
Is the defence budget transparent, showing key items of expenditure? And it is provided to the legislature in a timely fashion?
View Question
The defence budget is transparent and contains all information on expenditures across sectors: expenses directed towards administration, procurement, equipment, personnel, logistics and training are…
Explore
Parliament, regularly receives overall budget proposal, including for defence provisions. The Law on Budgets stipulates that the Ministry of Finance will submit the draft…
Explore
Q13
50/100
Is there a legislative committee (or other appropriate body) responsible for defence budget scrutiny and analysis in an effective way?
View Question
The Law on National Assembly outlines the representative character and supreme legislative power of the Parliament [1] while the Rules and Procedures of the…
Explore
The Committee on Defence and Security reviews defence policies and issues amendments and recommendations. During the post-2016 period, the Ministry of Defence clearly incorporated…
Explore
Q14
92/100
Is the approved defence budget made publicly available? In practice, can citizens, civil society, and the media obtain detailed information on the defence budget?
View Question
The defence budget is published on the Ministry of Defence website [1]. The defence sections of the national budget can also be accessed through…
Explore
There are no public restrictions in reviewing the budget: it is available to all interested stakeholders. Article 2 of the Rulebook on transparency of…
Explore
Formally, the Law on Free Access to Information of Public Character ensures that defence-related information is released to the public [1]. The Ministry of…
Explore
Q15
50/100
Are sources of defence income other than from central government allocation (from equipment sales or property disposal, for example) published and scrutinised?
View Question
At the end of each year, the Ministry of Defence publishes its final financial balance sheets in which all sources of income are disclosed…
Explore
The Internal Audit Department (IAD) as well as the State Audit Office (SAO) scrutinise the Ministry of Defence’s financial reports, including non-central income sources.…
Explore
There is no evidence of public scrutiny over the Ministry of Defence’s non-budgetary sources of income.
Explore
Q16
63/100
Is there an effective internal audit process for defence ministry expenditure (that is, for example, transparent, conducted by appropriately skilled individuals, and subject to parliamentary oversight)?
View Question
The Law on Public Internal Financial Control shapes the legal framework for internal audit processes [1]. In accordance with the Law, the Internal Audit…
Explore
Despite not being explicitly stated in its responsibilities [1], the parliamentary Committee on Defence and Security may oversee and review the Ministry of Defence’s…
Explore
Legally, there is no external oversight of the audit work carried out by the Internal Audit Department (IAD); there is as such no obligation…
Explore
The Ministry of Defence prepares action plans to eliminate any irregularities in operations stated in the audit reports from the Internal Audit Department (IAD).…
Explore
Q17
63/100
Is there effective and transparent external auditing of military defence expenditure?
View Question
External audits are conducted by the State Audit Office (SAO). In accordance with the Law on State Audit, the SAO is entitled to audit…
Explore
As stipulated by the Law on State Audit, the State Audit Office (SAO) is independent in its work and is defined as a state…
Explore
The process is transparent and reports on the audits carried out are published on the websites of the Sate Audit Office [1] and that…
Explore
The Law on State Audit stipulates that the audited body is obliged to inform the State Audit Office (SAO) and its supervising body of…
Explore
Nexus of Defence and National Assets
Q18
NEI/100
Is there evidence that the country’s defence institutions have controlling or financial interests in businesses associated with the country’s natural resource exploitation and, if so, are these interests publicly stated and subject to scrutiny?
View Question
Article 56 of the Constitution [1] and Articles 225, 226 and 234 of the Criminal Code [2] set the legal framework for the protection…
Explore
Except for a small camping site (St. Naum) which is part of the Galicica national park, cases of the involvement of defence institutions in…
Explore
There is not enough information to score this indicator. There may or may not be cases of individual defence personnel involved in natural resource…
Explore
This indicator has been marked Not Applicable, as there is no evidence of defence institutions having controlling or financial interests in businesses associated with…
Explore
This indicator has been marked Not Applicable, as there is no evidence of defence institutions having controlling or financial interests in businesses associated with…
Explore
Organised Crime
Q19
63/100
Is there evidence, for example through media investigations or prosecution reports, of a penetration of organised crime into the defence and security sector? If no, is there evidence that the government is alert and prepared for this risk?
View Question
Prior to 2015, a number of high-profile corruption cases within the Ministry of Defence suggested the spread of organised crime. In 2007, the ex-Minister…
Explore
The Ministry of Defence clearly always condemns acts of crime within its own staff and offers support for investigations. The Ministry also highlights its…
Explore
Q20
88/100
Is there policing to investigate corruption and organised crime within the defence services and is there evidence of the effectiveness of this policing?
View Question
The Ministry of the Interior and the national police are tasked with fighting organised crime and corruption in the defence sector. The Law on…
Explore
The Organised Crime Department acts within the institutional framework of the Ministry of the Interior. It is placed in the Central Police Services and…
Explore
There is not enough evidence to score this indicator. Prior to 2015, a few high-profile corruption cases in the Ministry of Defence were investigated…
Explore
Control of Intelligence Services
Q21
50/100
Are the policies, administration, and budgets of the intelligence services subject to effective and independent oversight?
View Question
The policies, administration, and budgets of the intelligence services are surveyed by the parliamentary Committee for Supervising the Work of the Security and Counter-Intelligence…
Explore
The Committee for Supervising the Work of the Security and Counter-Intelligence Directorate and the Intelligence Agency (CSWSCIDIA) has access to classified information. Committee members…
Explore
Q22
38/100
Are senior positions within the intelligence services filled on the basis of objective selection criteria, and are appointees subject to investigation of their suitability and prior conduct?
View Question
The criteria for selecting senior staff in the Security and Counter – Intelligence Directorate (SCID) within the Ministry of Interior and the Intelligence Agency…
Explore
The political influence in the selection process of candidates has been problematic for a while. A 2012 report on the work of the intelligence…
Explore
There is not enough evidence to score this indicator. At the time of research for the GDI, the Security and Counter – Intelligence Directorate…
Explore
Export Controls
Q23
67/100
Does the government have a well-scrutinised process for arms export decisions that aligns with Articles 7.1.iv, 11.5, and 15.6 of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT)?
View Question
Macedonia signed the Arms Trade Treaty on September 25, 2013. It was ratified on March 7, 2014 and entered into force on December 24,…
Explore
The Law on Production and Transfer of Weapons and Military Equipment complies with each of the three Arms Trade Treaty articles [1]. The North…
Explore
The North Macedonia is a minor arms exporter. Although this might explain, it does not justify the lack of parliamentary debate on the issues…
Explore
Lobbying in Defence
The country framework for regulating lobbying activity is the Law on Lobbying dating back to 2008 [1]. This Law defines the basic categories in…
Explore
There is no requirement for defence officials to publish a record of lobbying meetings. However, they do publish a list of personnel assets for…
Explore
The registration system for lobbyists is led by the General Secretary of the Parliament and remains public, according to Article 10 of the Law…
Explore
The State Anti-Corruption Commission is the overseeing body (Article 24). It has a clear mandate but is under-resourced. The work of the Commission stalled…
Explore