2. Current cultural affairs
North Macedonia
Last update: September, 2021
After the Parliamentary elections in 2016 the new coalition Government (June 2017) announced its main cultural priorities (freedom of creativity, equality, universal good) and most important principles (accessibility, inclusiveness, cultural democracy, new models of financing culture etc.) and the necessary reforms in the field of culture (as well as the reforms of the whole system) became main cultural policy issues. Most of the issues were elaborated in the new National Strategy for Cultural Development. During 2017/2018 the Ministry of Culture had started with some of the announced reforms establishing 20 working groups for revising the most important issues in the global cultural policy (decentralisation, new laws in the field of culture, transformation of the Ministry of Culture, international cooperation, cultural industries, protection of the cultural heritage, museums, “Skopje 2014” etc.). However, in 2018, although most of the working groups delivered their analysis and suggestions, the expected continuance with the reforms had suddenly stopped. Since 2018 the word “reforms in culture” is barely in use in the everyday communication of the Ministry of Culture or the Government. Despite the often public questions on this issue, there was no clear explanation about this from the Ministry of Culture or the Government.
Although the key issue of the National Strategy, the new Government (September 2020) also does not mention the reforms in the field of culture, setting some new “priorities” such as: protection of cultural heritage, international cooperation, youth and culture etc.
In December 2020 an online Peer Review on the cultural policy of North Macedonia was exercised by the Council of Europe expert group. The following main challenges have been identified:
- the need to reform public administration to improve transparency on management and spending,
- to improve data collection on the culture and creative sectors,
- to digitize procedure,
- to operationalize policy vision,
- to reward merit,
- to value professional expertise over political appointments.
Last update: September, 2021
The Constitution guarantees the following rights related to culture:
- civil rights and freedoms;
- creative autonomy;
- the obligation to support and develop culture;
- the right of the different ethnic or national groups to establish institutions for culture and art;
- the protection of the cultural and historical heritage; and
- copyright protection.
Issues related to cultural rights are mainly viewed in the focus of the cultural rights of national minorities. The Ministry of Culture supports various programs of national minorities through the distribution of grants in art and cultural fields.
Last update: September, 2021
The artistic and cultural creativity is supported on the state level in several ways:
- direct budgetary support for projects of national interest through annual public competition in all cultural fields, regardless of the status of the institution or the artist;
- direct budgetary contributions for independent artists (retirement, health insurance etc.);
- indirect support through tax and customs deductions and
- ad hoc support from the reserve budgetary funds for projects outside the competition procedure.
Through public competition, the Ministry of Culture also supports the professional development of talented young artists and professionals in the area of film, theatre, music, dance, literature, visual arts, and protection of movable and immovable cultural heritage. The priority is given to studies that do not exist within the Macedonian educational system.
Other examples of direct support include: an annual open competition for artists to spend time at Cité International des Arts in Paris, and several state awards ("11th October" Award which is the most important national award; “St, Kliment Award” etc.) given to artists (on public competition) as a recognition for their life-time achievement.
The Ministry of Culture provides funding for the annual awards given by professional artists association to their members for special achievements.
In 2008, the Ministry of Culture announced the introduction of a new category / position of "national artist". The title was reserved for the most significant artists as a recognition of their contribution to the development and popularisation of Macedonian art and culture. The Law on National Artists was approved in 2011. The title was awarded by the President of the Republic, based on the proposal from the Minister of Culture. The title provided a lifelong monthly payment of 1 000 EUR and a monograph of his / her work to be published by the Ministry of Culture. Another form of direct support to artists was the so called "national pension", which was awarded to significant artists and experts in the protection of cultural heritage. The artists and experts who were awarded this lifelong national pension actually got the difference between their pension and the highest pension in the country.
However, having in mind the actual practice within the last decade, the new Government determined that these two new categories were a kind of political corruption to the artists and cultural workers enforced by the former government. The Ministry of Culture consequently annulled the laws in 2018.
Until the end of 2000, professional artists associations were treated as national institutions and were completely financed (salaries, running costs, annual programmes etc.) by the Ministry of Culture. Pursuant to the government policy of reducing the number of employees in public administration and in accordance with the Law on Citizens' Associations and Foundations, professional artists associations are now treated as civil associations i.e. only their projects are funded.
Through an open yearly competition, the Ministry of Culture provides international membership fee costs for the professional associations (ICOM, ICOMOS, AICA, FREEPRESCI, BLUE SHIELD etc.).
(See also chapter 4.1.3)
Last update: September, 2021
The UN research “E-Government Survey 2014: E-Government for the Future We Want” (2014) stated that Macedonia was in last place in all segments of the analysis: the lowest index on e-government in the region, the lowest percentage of electronic services for the population, the lowest percentage of citizen’s contribution in the decisions of the local and central authorities etc.
That is why one of the goals of the new democratic Government (2017) was to develop the IT sector and to foster communication between citizens and the state administration. One of the priorities is to create electronic registers for all Government electronic services for citizens. The Government will also prepare a long-term national strategy for development of the informatics society, it will support the formation of research units in the business sector for efficient transfer of modern technologies and it will reduce the tax on IT technology to 5% etc.
However, it is still very difficult to communicate with the Government and the ministries through e-mail. The Ministry of culture does not support digital applications in its Annual contest (although the City of Skopje does), etc.
On the other hand, according to the data of the State Statistical Office, in the first quarter of 2020, 79.9% of households had access to the Internet. The participation of households with broadband connection in the total number of households was 87.8% in 2020. In the first quarter of 2020, 81.4% of the total population aged 15-74 used the Internet, and 70.9% used the Internet every day or almost every day.
Last update: September, 2021
Officially recognised ethnic (cultural) minorities are those mentioned in the Preamble of the Constitution: Albanians, Turks, Roma, Serbs, Bosnians and Vlachs. According to the latest census of 2002, the total population was 2 022 547, of which 64.18% are Macedonians (1 297 981). The rest of the population is made up of:
Table 2: Share of ethnic minority groups, 2002
| Ethnic minority groups | Total number | % share of total population |
| Albanians | 509 083 | 25.17 |
| Turks | 77 959 | 3.85 |
| Romans | 53 879 | 2.66 |
| Serbs | 35 939 | 1.78 |
| Bosnians | 17 018 | 0.84 |
| Vlachs | 9 695 | 0.48 |
| Others | 20 993 | 1.04 |
Source: State Statistical Office, Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in the Republic of Macedonia, 2002
In 2006, there was an official demand made by Croatia to recognise the Croatian ethnic minority as a Constitutional minority, but this demand was not accepted by the Macedonian government.
These minority groups have the constitutional right to freely express, nurture and develop their own cultural, religious, and linguistic identity and national features. The Ministry of Culture pays great attention to this, particularly in the decision-making process about projects submitted in open competitions, and in the creation of the yearly cultural programmes.
Following the signing of the Ohrid Framework Agreement of August 13th 2018, the following amendments were made to the Constitution for the different cultural communities:
The new Census that started in October 2011 was interrupted and then completely cancelled after only 4 days. It started with the resignation of the president of the State Census Commission, and very soon with the resignation of the whole Commission because of some differences in the legislative interpretation and serious disagreements about the methodology for conducting the census in the field (especially in areas with ethnically mixed populations), which would have resulted in incorrect data. Government officials stated that there were technical problems and a lack of preparedness for this large statistical operation to be finished in 15 days. It was planned that a new Census would be organised within 6 to 12 months, but it never happened.
The new Government (2017) stated that the new Census would be organised in 2020 but it was postponed until September 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
What concerns other social groups and communities, unofficially, is that there is a gay community that consists of nearly 30-40 000 people, but it has never been officially recognised. On the other hand, the gay community has recently been the subject of vigorous public polemics over whether people with "different" sexual orientation should be included in the new Law on Protection and Prevention of Discrimination, the Law on Family etc. The former government refused to mention this group in the laws.
The Law on Protection and Prevention of Discrimination was adopted in January 2011, without explicitly mentioning sexual orientation. The U.S. State Department stated in its 2012 report that in Macedonia there is social prejudice towards members of the LGBT community, who were exposed to harassment and demeaning language in the media.
In 2013 the Network for Prevention of Discrimination (founded in 2010 by a number of NGO's and citizens' associations) published an open letter to members of the Parliament asking them to demand additional detailed information on the 2013 Report of the Parliamentary Commission for Prevention of Discrimination. The open letter said that the report had no educational points, did not establish causes for certain kinds of discrimination, nor affirmed measures to overcome the situation.
In September 2013 the Macedonian ruling party at that time in the Parliament raised the question of changing the Constitution in order to re-define marriage as a union between a man and a woman and that a child can be adopted only in that kind of marriage. The Parliament did not support the initiative. But the new Parliament (April 2014), without the participation of the opposition parties, supported the initiative to change the Constitution not only in redefining marriage but also on several other points.
North Macedonia is a multi-cultural, multi-confessional and multi-linguistic country where intercultural dialogue is one of the most important issues. In fact, the whole political system is designed on these bases. In strictly cultural terms, the main authority responsible for programmes and policies addressing the issue of intercultural dialogue at national level is the Ministry of Culture. The Ministry has also established an Office for the Promotion and Advancement of the Cultures of Nationalities. On the governmental level there is an Office of National Coordinator for Inclusion and Intercultural Dialogue.
The main policy document identifying intercultural (interethnic) dialogue as an objective or priority of the government is the Ohrid Framework Agreement from 2001. In that context, the general intercultural dialogue has been fostered, especially after the Ohrid Framework Agreement. ICD has been on the agenda of all the ministries and government agencies, especially the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Education and Science, the Secretariat for European Affairs, the Agency for Youth and Sport, the Agency for the Rights of the Communities etc. ICD is an important part of several national strategies, including the National Strategy for one society and inclusion (2019), National Strategy for Cultural Development 2018-2022 (2018) etc.
In 2003, the Parliament established the Committee on the Political System and Ethnic Relations. It consisted of 19 members, including seven seats reserved for ethnic Macedonian legislators and seven for ethnic Albanian deputies. The Serbian, Vlach, Turk, Romany, and Bosnian minorities have one member each. The formation of the committee was part of the implementation of the Ohrid Agreement.
After the 2020 Parliamentary elections, the new Government established a new Ministry of Political System and Inter-Community Relations.
The NGO sector is a big promoter of intercultural dialogue, especially the Foundation Open Society Institute Macedonia which has several programmes for intercultural dialogue.
Religious values are also a topical issue of intercultural dialogue, especially religious education that was introduced for the first time (since the Second World War) in elementary schools in 2008. However, religious education was voluntary and children could choose between two subjects: religious education or history of religion. The religious communities (Orthodox, Islamic etc.) were in favour of this initiative. There was a kind of public debate about this development regarding the way it should be organised, who should be allowed to teach it, etc. Religious symbols were also a relevant issue. The main effect of such issues has been a growing awareness of the need for ICD.
On the other hand, after the introduction of religious education in elementary schools in 2008, the Constitutional Court in 2009, acting on a citizen's submission, ruled against religious education in elementary schools.
Last update: September, 2021
The education of artists and experts takes place within the framework of the secondary and higher education institutions in the country, that fall within the departmental competence of the Ministry of Education and Science. The Ministry of Culture does not participate in the preparation of the curricula and in the establishment of the network of educational institutions. However, within the framework of inter-departmental co-operation, it can influence educational policy, from the point of view of culture.
The Strategy for Education 2018-2022 as a strategy document in the educational field is mainly directed at the:
- Quality of education and its relevance to the development priorities of society;
- Development of the generic and key competences of the students as critical subjects and active and relevant participants in social life;
- Infrastructure of the educational system;
- Human resources capacities;
- Autonomy of the educational institutions, especially universities, as well as the subjects of the educational process, etc.
On the other hand, cultural education is one of the key points of the National Strategy for Cultural Development 2018-2022. It projects closer cooperation and coordination between the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Education and Science on the student quotas for certain important cultural study programmes, specific student programmes for underdeveloped professions (for example studies on conservation and restoration) in the cultural field etc.
In order to make up for a deficiency of artists and experts in the field of culture, the Ministry of Culture awards scholarships for post-graduate professional development of young and talented artists, for regular academic education, as well as for studies abroad in fields where there are a lack of possibilities to undertake the same programmes in North Macedonia.
(See also chapter 2.5.1. about religious education)
Last update: September, 2021
There has been a long and promising debate about the situation in the media in North Macedonia after the fall of the regime in 2017, about media legislation, media pluralism and diversity that should reflect the transformation of media and media policies. However, very little has been done so far, especially in relation to Macedonian Radio Television (as a public broadcasting enterprise), in media policy etc.
According to the State Statistical Office (No. 2.1.20.19), in 2019 there were 107 business entities performing broadcasting activities in the Republic of Macedonia, of which 62 transmitted radio programmes and 43 transmitted television programmes. Of the total number of business entities that transmitted radio programmes, one is a public broadcasting enterprise (Macedonian Radio Television), 57 are commercial broadcasting companies, and 4 are non-profit broadcasting institutions. According to the data, the public radio broadcasting enterprise broadcast a total of 38 015 hours of radio programmes, of which most, or 58.4 %, was music programmes. The commercial radio broadcasting companies broadcast a total of 499 320 hours of radio programmes, of which most, or 63.0%, was also music programmes. Of the total number of business entities that transmitted television programmes, one is a public broadcasting enterprise and 42 are commercial broadcasting companies. The public television broadcasting enterprise broadcast a total of 23 941 hours of television programmes, of which most, or 27.2%, was documentary and educational programmes. The commercial television broadcasting companies broadcast a total of 357 684 hours of television programmes, of which most, or 23.2%, was fixture programmes.
Macedonian Radio and Television as a public broadcasting service broadcasts TV programmes in seven languages (Macedonian, Albanian, Turkish, Roma, Serb, Bosnian and Vlach) and radio programmes in nine languages (Macedonian, Albanian, Turkish, Roma, Serb, Bosnian, Vlach, Greek and Bulgarian). According to the Law on Audio and Audio-visual Media Services the share of domestic versus imported programs for business entities is 50:50% and for Macedonian Television is 60:40%.
The Public Broadcasting Service tax was 190 MKD (around 3.1 EUR). It was cancelled by Government decision in 2017. Since then, the Government finances Public Broadcasting Service.
By the adoption of the Law on Audio and Audio-visual Media Services, the Broadcasting Council was transformed into the Agency for Audio and Audio-visual Media Services. The main bodies of the Agency are the Council and the Director of the Agency. The Council consists of seven members, who elect the President and Deputy President among the members. The members of the Council are appointed by the Parliament.
The Ministry of Culture has no responsibility over the media.
Last update: September, 2021
The official language is Macedonian. In 1998, the Law on the Use of the Macedonian Language was passed. A breakdown of cultural communities with other languages is provided in 2.5 (Table 1).
In this context, it should be mentioned that for almost three years (2006-2009) the Committee for Culture in the Parliament was not working, waiting for the final decision whether the Rules of Procedure would change and if the Parliamentary committees could be conducted in the Albanian language as well. The Parliament representatives from the Albanian political parties did not want to take part in this Committee until the "language question" in the Rules of Procedure was solved. In August 2008, the Parliament passed the new Rules of Procedure and the new Law on the Use of the Albanian language. According to this document, starting from 2009, the Parliamentary committees can be conducted in the Albanian language as well.
In January 2018, after a long and burning public debate, the Parliament passed the new Law on the Use of Languages. The Law stipulates the use of the Albanian language on national and local level. Along with this Law, the Government submitted amendments to the Law on Identity Cards in order to expand the possibilities that members of the communities would have in the process of issuing the ID cards. It proposes that for communities who speak a language other than Macedonian (spoken by at least 20% of citizens and who also use its alphabet), then the ID cards can be printed in the language and alphabet spoken by these communities.
Last update: September, 2021
The 2012 Law on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men replaced the previous 2006 law. It contains the same definition of discrimination provided in the previous law, clarifies the reporting responsibilities of all public actors and obliges public authorities to adopt gender responsive strategic plans and budgets. It regulates the basic principles and special measures for equal opportunities for women and men, the responsibilities, tasks and obligations of the public entities etc. The main objective of the Law is to promote the principle of establishing equal opportunities for women and men in the political, economic, social, educational and other fields of social life. Other implemented legal measures in this direction are: the 2009 amendments to the Law on the Ombudsman which required the Office of the Ombudsman to establish a unit for "protection of citizens from discrimination"; the 2012 amendments to the Law on Labour Relations which expressly prohibit discrimination against women workers during pregnancy, maternity and parenthood regardless of the type or duration of work and the 2010 Law on Free Legal Aid which assists women without financial resources to access justice. In 2012 the Labour Law was amended to avoid employment discrimination, prohibiting employers to ask for a pregnancy test in the process of recruitment and / or to dismiss an employee because of pregnancy.
A report on gender equality in the Ministry of Culture was published in 2012. According to the report, out of 146 public servants, 83 were women and 63 were men. 31 women and 12 men hold management positions. There is no similar data for the cultural institutions.
In order to have better data on gender participation, in the application form for the 2021 Annual contest, the Ministry of Culture included a question on the number of men and women included in the project.
Last update: September, 2021
In 2018 the Government established a Coordinative body for implementation of the UN Convention on the rights of people with disabilities. The Coordinative body has 15 members (2 from the Prime Minister’s Office, members from 11 ministries, a member from the National Council of organisations of people with disabilities etc.). It is supposed to be a kind of national mechanism for implementation of this Convention and to cooperate with representative associations of people with disabilities.
The new Law on Social Protection (May 2019) improves the rights of people with disabilities (better services in the local communities, personal assistance and home care, social inclusion etc.).
However, there are no general initiatives for inclusion of people with disabilities in the field of culture. Some institutions incidentally carry out programmes that encourage inclusion and/or artistic creation of people with disabilities but they are not organised efforts. One of the initiatives of the previous mentioned Coordinative body in the field of culture was to include as standard the use of sign language in some performances of the “Comedy Theatre”.
Last update: September, 2021
One of the key targets for the new Government in social politics is to bring the poverty rate down to below 16% (the poverty rate was 21.9% in 2016), with a special emphasis on children poverty.
Other future priority social measures and activities are:
- The concept “Local community cares” (for people with disabilities);
- The family care;
- Functional institutional network for the social protection of older people, centres for disabled people, day care centres etc.;
- Legal changes in the use of social apartments (for families with low incomes, young couples, disabled persons etc.);
- Increase of 50% in the financial help for disabled people during the Government’s mandate, etc.
There are special measures and activities for children and young people as well.
There are no governmental measures in the field of culture but special measures for culture inclusion were provided via the new National Strategy for Cultural Development 2018-2022 (cultural rights, freedom and multiplicity of cultural identity, accessibility in cultural processes, inclusion of marginalized groups etc.) but so far nothing has been put into practice.
Last update: September, 2021
It is still very difficult to talk about a conceptual and practical progress that foresees culture as an important social factor or about plans or a vision that fully incorporate culture as one of the key elements for development, welfare and social impact. It remains a kind of challenge for the future in North Macedonia. Even the Strategic plan of the Ministry of Culture 2021-2023 does not mention culture and social inclusion / impact in its priorities.
Last update: September, 2021
Cultural sustainability as a goal in itself or a strategy to progress towards sustainable development goals is as yet a grey zone not only in Macedonian cultural policy but also in governmental policies as well. There are no initiatives at national and local levels that consider culture as a possible pillar for any strategy of sustainable development.
Although the National Strategy for Cultural Development 2018-2022, (in the parts Vision and Mission), foresees dynamic and sustainable cultural development and insists on promoting cultural policy as a basis for formulation of new economic, political and social capital, so far nothing has changed.
Last update: September, 2021
One of the constant burning cultural issues since 2009 is the controversial (and in many parts illegal) government project "Skopje 2014". It was enforced by the previous regime (2006-2017) without consulting the Parliament or the expert community. The so called project completely reshaped the (modernistic) city centre of Skopje with antique-looking monuments (including a giant 30 metre high monument to Alexander the Great, his father Phillip II and mother Olympia, other local / national political figures etc.), public buildings were re-shaped in pseudo-baroque and neo-classic style, a triumphal arch was built etc. Moreover, the so called "Wiretapping" scandal (2016/2017), involving the Prime Minister and other government ministers (especially the Minister of Culture), unveiled numerous irregularities and arbitrariness around this notorious project.
Although it was estimated to cost around 80 million EUR, even today the entire cost of the project is still unknown. Estimations exceed 800 million EUR but no government institution is dealing with it.
The so called “Project Skopje 2014” was one of the cornerstones of the opposition critics at that time and was a strong argument against the criminal and corrupted regime. The promise that the new democratic government will consequently deal with this “project” gained support from most Skopje citizens. In 2017, the new Minister of Culture formed a working group to analyse all aspects of the whole project and to suggest solutions for each part of it. Although the working group managed to deliver 15 suggestions for the major monuments none of the suggested measures were accepted by the Government. The working group was gradually suspended after only a year and a half without finishing its job.