Letter to the Government of North Macedonia
4. September 2020
Subject: Request to adopt the Law on Prevention of and Protection against Discrimination
Dear Prime-Minister of North Macedonia, Zoran Zaev,
Dear Deputy Prime-Minister for Political System and Intercommunity Relations, Artan Grubi,
Dear Minister for Labour and Social Policy, Jagoda Shahpaska,
We, the undersigned MEPs, would like to congratulate you on your recent successful parliamentary election, and we are looking forward to working with a government that will further prosperity in North Macedonia and its path towards EU integration, in particular as regards democracy, rule of law and fundamental rights. In this latter regard, we would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation that the recently repealed Law on Prevention of and Protection against Discrimination (repealed by the Constitutional Court of North Macedonia in May due to a technicality) is among one of the new government’s priorities in the coming months.
The repealing of this legislation has meant that North Macedonia currently does not provide sufficient protection from discrimination for all its citizens. As members of the European Parliament’s Intergroups on LGBTI rights, Anti-Racism and Diversity (ARDI), Disability and Children’s Rights, we are particularly concerned that the current lack of legislation negatively impacts the most marginalised people in society, such as Roma people, LGBTI persons, women, people living in poverty, people with disabilities and religious minorities.
This law, which was approved by national experts and activists after years of tireless work, and was praised by the Venice Commission, the United Nations, the European Union and the OSCE-ODIHR, was exemplary in its protection of all citizens against discrimination. In addition, it contained protection based on a number of grounds, which fulfil commitments that are necessary for the continuation of accession talks between the EU and North Macedonia. This law is also the subject of a declaration for priority adoption signed by several parties and civil society organisations in North Macedonia.
Given the importance of this matter and the fact that the repeal has left these groups unprotected, we believe the situation is of utmost urgency. We therefore welcome the addition of this law to the governmental programme and urge you to fulfil the political commitment to adopt it as soon as possible and ensure that its implementing body – the Commission for Prevention and Protection from Discrimination – is established within the legal timeframe soon after the readoption of the law.
Lastly, we are looking forward to cooperating with the new government during its accession on all issues addressing equality.
Yours sincerely,
LGBTI Intergroup Bureau
Marc ANGEL, Co-Chair
Terry REINTKE, Co-Chair
Malin BJÖRK, Vice-Chair
Maria WALSH, Vice-Chair
Sophie IN’T VELD, Vice-Chair
Fabio CASTALDO, Vice-Chair
Anti-Racism and Diversity (ARDI)
Intergroup Bureau
Cornelia ERNST, Co-Chair
Evin INCIR, Co-Chair
Samira RAFAELA, Co-Chair
Younous OMARJEE, Co-Chair
Hilde VAUTMANS, Vice-Chair
Children’s Rights Intergroup Bureau
Caterina CHINNICI, Co-Chair
David LEGA, Co-Chair
Hilde VAUTMANS, Co-Chair
Saskia BRICMONT, Co-Chair
Disability Intergroup Bureau
José GUSMAO, Co-Chair
Katrin LANGENSIEPEN, Co-Chair
Mónica Silvana GONZÁLEZ, Co-Chair
Radka MAXOVÁ, Co-Chair
Anne-Sophie PELLETIER, Vice-Chair
Brando BENIFEI, Vice-Chair
Chrysoula ZACHAROPOULOU, Vice-Chair
Marianne VIND, Vice-Chair
Members of the Intergroups
Evelyn REGNER, Chair of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM)
Andreas SCHIEDER, Chair of the Delegation to the EU-North Macedonia Joint Parliamentary Committee (D-MK)
Alice KUHNKE
Alicia HOMS GINEL
Anna DONÁTH
Antoni COMÍN I OLIVERES
Daniel FREUND
Dietmar KÖSTER
Francisco GUERREIRO
Giuliano PISAPIA
Gwendoline DELBOS-CORFIELD
Irena JOVEVA
Isabel CARVALHAIS
Karen MELCHIOR
Kira Marie PETER-HANSEN
Magdalena ADAMOWICZ
Manuel BOMPARD
Margrete AUKEN
Marie TOUSSAINT
Marisa MATIAS
Milan BRGLEZ
Monika VANA
Nathalie LOISEAU
Olivier CHASTEL
Pernando BARRENA ARZA
Petra DE SUTTER
Rasmus ANDRESEN
Rosa D’AMATO
Sirpa PIETIKÄINEN
Svenja HAHN
Tanja FAJON