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Support to the Establishment and Development of the Parliamentary Institute in Macedonia

Project completed

SDC will continue to support the development of the Macedonian Parliamentary Institute (PI). The PI is a department of the Parliamentary Services of the Assembly that shall provide research, archive, library, inhouse training and visitor services. Through the PI services, Members of Parliament (MPs) will have access to information for fact-based debates on laws, contributing to greater quality of laws for citizens.

Country/region Topic Period Budget
North Macedonia
Governance
Public sector policy
Democratic participation and civil society
01.01.2018 - 31.12.2019
 CHF  890’000
The project in brief
Background The Republic of Macedonia is a parliamentary democracy with a unicameral parliament. The Assembly consists of 120 MPs, elected every four years (last in December 2016). Despite the widening gap on political topics in the Assembly, there has been consensus among MPs from all parliamentary groups about the need to strengthen the Assembly's capacities. Based on this consensus, SDC has supported the Assembly since 2009 in the conceptualisation and establishment of the PI, which is considered key to the Assembly's institutional strengthening.
Objectives The overall goal of the project is to contribute to the mission of the PI "to provide timely, impartial, objective and accessible services and information for the legislator" by supporting the PI Strategic Plan.
Target groups The PI will directly serve Members of Parliament and Parliamentary Services staff with its research, archive, library and training services as well as citizens with its visitor services and general promotion services (target group). Beneficiaries are all citizens of Macedonia, through improved quality of laws and through increased accessibility of Assembly.
Medium-term outcomes
  • The Assembly is more open for citizens MPs have access to quality information to lead an informed debate on laws
  • PI observes the principles of quality, impartiality and sustainability
Results

Expected results:  

  • Quality services for communication of Parliament with citizens as well as internal training services for Parliament will be developed, in line with Open Government Partnership principles. The work with citizens will have a special focus on youth and vulnerable groups. Swiss Parliamentary Services will be used as the model and provide advisory services to PI
  • PI will be consolidated (continued work on internal strengthening including finalisation of hiring, rulebooks and guidelines; further cooperation with other departments of the Parliamentary Service; further cooperation with other Parliaments, think-tanks and NGOs, and finalization of work on services)


Results from previous phases:  

  • PI is well recognized, after three years of operation. 93% of all MPs in parliament have a positive opinion of the Pl
  • PI has developed and provides impartial, quality and useful research services. 69% of MPs have used their research services. Of them, 93% believe that MPs have equal access to the service regardless of political affiliation and 80% of them deem the research output as impartial
  • PI archive and library services are also available, offering more than 5000 books and more than 300 items from parliamentary sessions
  • The PI is established as an integral part of the Assembly i.e. it is a department in the Parliamentary Service and its staff members are civil servants, creating adequate conditions for sustainability
Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Credit area Swiss cooperation with Eastern Europe
Project partners Contract partner
  • Central State of South East
  • Other international or foreign NGO North


Coordination with other projects and actors Cooperation with EU, US, UK, and Dutch support to the Assembly ensured through donor coordination. Close cooperation with Swiss Parliamentary Services envisaged.
Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    890’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    799’067
Project phases

Phase 4 01.01.2018 - 31.12.2019   (Completed)

Phase 3 01.01.2015 - 31.12.2017   (Completed) Phase 2 01.12.2009 - 31.12.2014   (Completed)
  • Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation GOVERNMENT AND CIVIL SOCIETY
    GOVERNMENT AND CIVIL SOCIETY
    Sub-Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation
    Public sector policy and administrative management
    Democratic participation and civil society
    Project number

    7F06767

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Last update 23.01.2021