Post-monitoring dialogue with “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia"

Reply to Recommendation | Doc. 13347 | 28 October 2013

Author(s):

Committee of Ministers

Origin

Adopted at the 1182nd meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies (24 October 2013). 2013 - November Standing Committee

Reply to Recommendation

: Recommendation 2022 (2013)

1. The Committee of Ministers has carefully examined Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 2022 (2013) on the “Post-monitoring dialogue with “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia””, also in the light of Parliamentary Assembly Resolution 1949 (2013). It shares the Assembly’s view that the efforts made by the authorities to secure the implementation of the 2001 Ohrid Framework Agreement and to pursue reforms in the field of democracy, human rights and the rule of law should be fully supported by the Council of Europe and its member States.

2. The Committee of Ministers draws the Parliamentary Assembly’s attention to the ongoing Council of Europe co-operation activities in “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”. At the regional level, a Joint European Union/Council of Europe Programme on Intercultural Mediation for Roma Communities (ROMED), in which “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” is involved, has been implemented since 2011 and other regional Joint European Union/Coucil of Europe Programmes on the Rehabilitation of Cultural Heritage (Ljubljana Process II), on the Promotion of Human Rights and Minority Protection and on Inclusive Education are currently running. A country-specific Joint European Union/Council of Europe Programme on the capacity building of law enforcement agencies for appropriate treatment of detained and sentenced persons has been implemented since December 2012. Within the framework of the European Union High Level Accession Dialogue, Council of Europe expertise on media legislation is also being provided to “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”.

3. The Committee of Ministers welcomes the Parliamentary Assembly’s recommendation to intensify co-operation activities in “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” and tasks the Secretariat to prepare, in close consultation with the authorities, proposals for enhanced co-operation in priority areas, including that of the implementation of the 2001 Ohrid Framework Agreement, thus contributing to the country’s European integration process.

4. It should be noted that a programme office was recently created in Skopje [(1) CM/Del/Dec(2013)1175/1.6 of 3 July 2013.] in order to ensure implementation of the ongoing country-specific European Union/Council of Europe Joint Programme. In the future, the programme office may also facilitate the implementation of other European Union/Council of Europe Joint Programmes or programmes funded by other extra-budgetary resources.