Policy Recommendations
- Slow down
- Initiate public debate
- Consider public opinion
Abstract
In the past months, the government of North Macedonia has pushed for three policies providing for different forms of liberalisation and legalisation, all with potentially significant impacts on the rule of law and justice in the country: legalisation of cannabis for recreational use, legalisation of illegally constructed objects, and the selling/privatisation of state-owned agricultural land. In the Policy Brief, the authors outline the proposed changes, possible implications, and their opposition. They claim that all three changes at once pose the danger of overwhelming the administrative system and society. Furthermore, they argue that public institutions lack the capacity to successfully manage all changes at once. The authors recommend that the government takes a step back, enters into deep consultations with stakeholders, and makes clear distinctions within the proposal for legalisation of illegally constructed buildings.
The Policy Brief is published in the framework of the WB2EU project. The project aims at the establishment of a network of renowned think-tanks, do-tanks, universities, higher education institutes and policy centres from the Western Balkans, neighbouring countries and EU member states that will be most decisive for the enlargement process and Europeanisation of the region in the upcoming years. The WB2EU project is co-funded by the European Commission under its Erasmus+ Jean Monnet programme.
