site.btaEntire N. Macedonia Legislation Will Be Screened by EC, Regardless of Possible Associations Act Review by Venice Commission - PM Kovacevski

The entire legislation of the Republic of North Macedonia will be reviewed during the upcoming screening by the EU and will then be harmonized, Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski told a news conference in Skopje. Whether or not the Venice Commission is approached about recent revisions in the law on associations and foundations, it would not change the fact that they were adopted by consensus in Parliament, he said.

Kovacevski’s remark comes a day after Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani said during a working visit to Bulgaria that he would suggest to the government to ask the Venice Commission to review the law on associations for any “undesirable elements”.

Kovacevski reiterated that a new bill should be drafted using the experience of the German legislation, and be supported by all political parties.

"I think that the law on associations and foundations is pretty straightforward because it takes into account the feelings of the citizens in our country regarding the use of names from the WWII period, and that such names should not be used in the names of organizations, clubs or even commercial companies," Kovacevski said.

The amendments to the law on associations and foundations were submitted by the opposition VMRO-DPMNE and voted in the Skopje Parliament a week ago with the votes of the ruling party as well. It is retroactive and after its adoption, existing associations with names that are considered controversial must change them within 90 days or face de-registration. The adoption of these amendments came about after tensions over the opening of two culture clubs of ethnic Bulgarians: the Ivan Mihailov Club in Bitola and the Boris III Club in Ohrid. The clubs were named after the associations that set them up.