2.10 Current debates and reforms
In May 2021, the Аssembly of North Macedonia announced the adoption of the amendment Law on Volunteering.
In May 2021, at the initiative of several civil society organizations, with the support of the Cabinet of the Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia and the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, an initiative was launched to amend the Law on Volunteering in the Republic of North Macedonia. In June 2021, a draft Law for amending the Law on Volunteering was published on the ENER platform (Unique Electronic Registry of Regulations of the Republic of North Macedonia).
The draft law for amending specified the existing provisions in the section of the organizer of volunteer work, and established the procedure for issuing consent for volunteer work at public institutions, state authorities, municipalities, the municipalities of the city of Skopje and the city of Skopje and the rights of volunteers. In addition, the establishment of a National Council for the promotion and development of volunteerism is foreseen, as well as the issuance of a volunteer certificate for performing volunteer work. There hasn’t been any further development regarding the adoption of the amendments of the existing provisions in the Law on volunteering.
The implementation of the Strategy for the Promotion and Development of Volunteering (2021-2025) has been hindered by a lack of clarity regarding its execution and oversight, according to the analysis[1] conducted by the Youth Cultural Center (YCC) in Bitola.
According to the aforementioned, volunteering in North Macedonia is mainly promoted through civil society initiatives. The absence of a newly composed National Council for the Promotion and Development of Volunteering, a body meant to oversee the strategy, remains a significant challenge. Additionally, proposed amendments to the Law on Volunteering that would formalize the Council's role were never submitted for parliamentary adoption.
In September 2021, the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy presented the new Strategy for Development of Volunteerism 2021-2025.
[1] Radio MOF (2023) Mladite baraat državata da go vrednuva volonterstvoto. Available at: https://www.radiomof.mk/mladite-baraat-drzhavata-da-go-vrednuva-volonterstvoto/ (Accessed: 27 December 2024).