The National Democratic Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness and accountability in government.

Since adopting the 2001 Ohrid Framework Agreement that pulled the country back from interethnic conflict, Macedonia has progressed in reforming governing institutions and political practices along democratic lines, principally by enfranchising ethnic minorities. Macedonia received official European Union candidate status in 2005, but progress in EU integration, along with membership in NATO, has been delayed by a longstanding diplomatic dispute with Greece over the constitutional name of the country. Macedonia's democracy reform agenda focuses on strengthening its political institutions and pluralism — principally through parliament — so that all of the country's diverse constituencies can participate fully in and benefit from a democratic political system.

Democracy Support Program

Since 1993, NDI has supported Macedonia in becoming a cohesive, sustainable, and multicultural democracy. Funded by USAID, the National Endowment for Democracy and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, NDI is implementing the following programs to connect citizens with their government through legislative and election processes:

• Strengthening parliament's legislative and oversight skills with public committee hearings and the creation a legislative research institute for the National Assembly.
  • NDI supports House Democracy Partnership in sharing good practice»
  • Representatives of nine legislatures take part in Washington program to improve parliamentary research and administration
  • Macedonia: parliamentarians forego partisanship in public hearing simulation»
• Partnering with the Slovak and Czech parliaments to give Macedonian MPs insight into parliament's oversight role and to better integration with the EU's structures.
  • Center-right political party youth leaders gather from across the Balkans to form political network»
  • Liberal parties in the Balkans plot a shared course toward the future»
  • Emerging political and civic leaders gather in Belgrade»
  • Regional parliamentary initiative»
• Supporting the multiparty Women's Parliamentary Club, which advocates for legislation that serves the interests of women, for example through more government resources to protect women's health.
  • Women social democrats of Southeastern Europe reach across borders for shared goals»
  • NDI hosts roundtable on gender politics in the Western Balkans»
• Building a constituency office network that parliament now controls, which is managed by NDI's Macedonian civic partner, the Institute for Parliamentary Democracy (IPD).
  • NDI trains new constituency office assistants»
  • Macedonian constituency offices: bringing the parliament and the people together»
  • Macedonia's parliament opens its doors to citizens»
• Developing stronger dialogue between the Assembly and non-governmental organizations in such legislative areas as handicap access to public buildings, university tuition and charitable giving.
• Promoting public debate on election reform in which voters can have a say in how they elect their representatives to public office.
  • Code of conduct takes Macedonia toward democracy and Europe»
  • Macedonia code of conduct campaign contributes to brighter prospects for EU membership»
  • Macedonia's political parties commit to democratic election standards in public code of conduct»
  • Code of conduct for free and fair parliamentary elections»

Publications

• Service and Accountability Manual: Representing the People
• Semi-Presidentialism in Central and Eastern Europe
• NDI Post-Election Statement on Macedonia Parliamentary Elections, June 2008
• 2008 Macedonia Pre-election Report
• Statement of Preliminary Findings and Conclusions, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Parliamentary Elections, 2006
• Macedonia Parliamentary Elections 2002, Election Watch Report, Volume One
• Macedonia Parliamentary Elections 2002, Election Watch Report, Volume Two
• Statement of the International Pre-Election Delegation to Macedonia, 2002
• Attitudes Towards the Political, Social, and Economic Conditions in Macedonia, Results of Focus Group Research
• Report of the Pre-Election Assessment to the Former Yugoslavia Republic of Macedonia
• Building a Civil Society in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

Contact Information

For more information about these programs, use our contact form or contact:

Skopje
Chris Henshaw, Senior Resident Director
+389 2 3 131 177

Washington, D.C.
Ulrike Scholl-Dorn, Senior Program Officer
(202) 728-5453

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Pictured above: Constituency office assistants work together on an exercise during a constituency relations training to prepare them for new office openings.