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Inter-ethnic relations need further attention in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
THE HAGUE 9 November 1998
THE HAGUE, 9 November 1998 - Statement on inter-ethnic relations in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia by the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities:
Since it gained independence, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia has overcome many difficulties. It succeeded to remain outside the armed conflicts and the violence which marked the process of dissolution of the former SFR of Yugoslavia. The violence in Kosovo did not spill over its borders. Its position in the community of European states was strengthened by its admission to the OSCE and the Council of Europe. The European Union and various individual states have recognised the important role the country can play as a factor of stability in the Balkans and are trying to help it to overcome its economic problems.
Now that the parliamentary elections have taken place and a new government has to be formed, the political discussion will concentrate on the best ways to ensure the security, stability and economic progress of the country in the next few years. Undoubtedly, the promotion of harmonious interethnic relations will be one of the most important subjects which have to be discussed. I have therefore decided to choose this moment to formulate, as I have done in the past, a number of recommendations regarding this subject which I should like to bring to the attention of the President of the Republic, the leaders of political parties and to the general public.
First and foremost, I should like to stress that, while various ethnic groups are of course entitled to pursue their specific interest, all ethnic groups have to be aware that they have a number of common interests, such as the maintenance of peace and stability, the promotion of economic development and the reduction of unemployment.
Secondly, there is the obligation of all ethnic groups to respect the territorial integrity of the state. The constitutional order has to be respected as well; it can only be changed in accordance with constitutional rules. Disregard of these basic rules will inevitably lead to destabilisation of the state, and, quite possibly, also to violence. As a consequence, all concerned would suffer; no one would gain.
Thirdly, there is in my view the need to move beyond the discussion between the Macedonian parties which favour the present unitary state system, and Albanian parties which want to change it. Experience elsewhere in Europe has shown that within a unitary state important steps can be taken to accommodate the specific desiderata of minorities. It seems to me that what is needed most now is that the various parties engage in a serious dialogue regarding such reforms. In this respect I want to emphasize that it would be wrong to consider any concession to a minority as a weakening of the state. It ought not to be forgotten that meeting wishes of a minority within the constitutional framework of a unitary state might even strengthen the state, because the removal of major sources of its dissatisfaction will strengthen the willingness of a minority to identify with the state.
Finally, I should like to express the hope that during the discussions on the programme of the future government solutions acceptable for both sides can be found for a number of interethnic questions which have been the subject of discussion for so many years. Failure to achieve this result would increase the risk of future interethnic tensions. Success would provide a firm basis for the stability of the country in future. The commitments accepted when the country joined the OSCE and the obligations accepted when it became a party to a number of international agreements in the framework of the UN and the Council of Europe will provide important guidelines in this discussion, also taking into account Article 118 of the Constitution. Above all, I express the hope that the discussion will take into account that the essence of democracy is compromise. In a democratic multi-ethnic state a minority cannot impose a dictate on a majority, but neither can a majority afford to ignore the desiderata of a minority, even less so when it constitutes an important percentage of the population. In the interest of interethnic harmony and stability, both sides will have to modify some of their positions.
Questions regarding Albanian language education
In many of the discussions I had during the last five years, different and sometimes quite opposite views have been expressed regarding the question of instruction in the Albanian language in the framework of the educational system of the state. However, most of my interlocutors agreed that there was a need to improve the quality of Albanian language schools in the field of primary and secondary education. As far as tertiary education was concerned, there was virtual consensus regarding the negative consequences for the Albanian community of the closure of Albanian language courses in Pristina in 1991.
The picture has not been completely dark, however. Since 1993, there has been a gradual increase of the number of Albanian pupils going to Albanian language secondary schools. Also, the number of Albanian students in Skopje and Bitola Universities rose from 3.4% in 1992/1993 to an estimated 9.57% in the academic year 1998/1999. Still, this percentage is much lower than one would expect taking into account the percentage of ethnic Albanians in the total population of the country. This has a negative impact on the chances of Albanians to be appointed in leading positions in the state and state organs, local administration, army and police. The Ministry of Education has tried to help the increase of the percentage of Albanian students by introducing a quota-system for them which I hope will be continued. Taking into account the difficulties Albanian pupils finishing secondary schools have in successfully passing university entrance examinations, I have asked the Foundation on Interethnic Relations in The Hague which supports my work to start a transitional programme offering additional courses to help Albanian students to pass this examination and to follow the courses at the university; the number of interested persons exceeds expectations. Still, both the quota system and the transitional programme provide only partial remedies. Clearly there is a need to take some more far-reaching steps to ensure a better quality of the Albanian primary and secondary schools.
In 1997, a Pedagogical Faculty was started in the framework of Skopje University, which provides Albanian teaching for future teachers in kindergarten and the first four grades of primary schools. This is a step forward, but leaves unsolved the urgent need to improve the quality of teaching in grades V-VIII of Albanian language primary schools and in Albanian language secondary schools. The need to solve this question is especially urgent, because the social and economic advancement of the ethnic Albanian population will be greatly stimulated by such an improvement, the number of Albanian students starting and completing tertiary education will be considerably increased, and an important barrier standing in the way of the appointment of ethnic Albanians in leading positions in state and society will be gradually eliminated.
Taking into account the vital importance for the Albanian community of an adequate teacher training system for the higher grades of primary education and for secondary education, I would recommend the creation of a special Albanian Language State University College for teacher training, which will be linked with the University of Skopje through an agreement of cooperation. Constitutionally the creation of such a university is possible, taking into account Decision 23/1997 of 7 May 1997 regarding the Law on the Pedagogical Faculty which states i.a. that persons belonging to national minorities have the right to be taught in their own language in primary and secondary education and that the state is obliged to create conditions through the educational process to provide this constitutional guarantee.
I would further recommend that the new university will be set up under the following conditions:
1. The curriculum has to be such that it fits into the general teacher training system being applied in the State; 2. Macedonian language courses will be part of the curriculum; 3. The courses are open for interested students of Macedonian or other ethnicity; 4. The faculties of the University will reflect the various groups of subjects taught in the higher grades of primary schools and in secondary schools; 5. The University must concentrate exclusively on teacher training. For instance a person interested in a career in biology other than that of a teacher cannot enroll in the teacher training University; 6. The agreement on cooperation with Skopje University will have to provide for common courses with Macedonian students at that University in modern languages and in new subjects like civic education and human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to national minorities.
Regarding the question whether the training of teachers for Albanian kindergartens and teachers in the first four grades in Albanian language primary schools would have to be moved from the Pedagogical Faculty in Skopje to the new university, my recommendation is to maintain the existing arrangement at Skopje University. However, in case of a recurrence of the difficulties which for a time stood in the way of a successful start of the new Pedagogical Faculty, it would in my view become inevitable to transfer the training of this group of teachers to the new University.
It is realistic to assume that the Albanian ethnic community might not be able to provide a sufficient number of teachers for the new University during its first years of existence. This might be especially the case in the field of training for teachers in secondary schools. This problem will have to be overcome by recruiting teachers of Macedonian ethnicity and ethnic Albanian teachers who were born in the country but are presently living in Western Europe, the United States or elsewhere.
Although the new Albanian language teacher training institution would of course have to concentrate on pre-service training it would be desirable to have in-service training courses as well, for instance during holiday periods.
There will be a clear need for international assistance to realise this plan. My provisional contacts give me hope that such assistance might be mobilised. Evidently, the first need is a study to analyse the best ways to realise the project and to estimate its costs. I express the hope that the international community, and possibly also NGO's, might also be willing to help in enabling the study of new subjects like civic education and human rights. I attach special importance to the concept of students of Macedonian and Albanian ethnicity studying these subjects in common. In order to promote the integration process, summer camps of students of different ethnicity, combined with courses aimed at promoting integration, could also be very valuable.
Finally, I should like to come back to the educational needs of the country which are of importance for the whole population, regardless of ethnicity. In this respect I permit myself to come back to suggestions I have made earlier with respect to public administration and business. Regarding public administration, I recall that there is so far no educational institution in the country dealing specifically with the training of civil servants. A specialised professional education for positions in administration is highly desirable. Apart from theoretical knowledge, especially in the field of law, it would also provide a knowledge of political and administrative processes with respect to both policy making and policy execution. Theoretical, normative and practical aspects of public administration would be approached in their entirety.
Regarding the field of business, it is my impression that the country could greatly profit from highly qualified students in business administration. It is obvious that such high level training could serve to promote the expansion of small and medium sized enterprises. It is to be noted that business schools play an extremely useful role in many other European states.
I do of course realise that severe financial constraints greatly reduce the possibilities of the government to provide additional educational opportunities, at any rate for the next few years. I am of the opinion, therefore, that an effort must be made to mobilise international financial support. What I have in mind is the creation of a Private Higher Education Centre for Public Administration and Business, founded by a consortium of states interested in helping the country in this important field. Once the institution has been set up, the contribution of the international community could gradually decrease while that part of the costs covered by tuition fees could gradually increase.
In order to ensure its maximum utility, it would be of importance to add a language training center. Regarding the business section of the new institution, it would be valuable to pay special attention to the field of European studies. This will be even more important when the cooperation between the European Union and the state would eventually take the form of an association agreement. The international orientation of the Centre could be further enhanced by inviting visiting teachers.
My suggestion is that the new institution would be trilingual. While teaching in English would predominate and therefore accentuate its international orientation, lectures in both the Macedonian and Albanian languages will be needed to ensure maximum access to the tuition provided.
As regards the legal basis of the private higher education institution I am proposing, it has to be kept in mind that Article 45 of the Constitution explicitly provides for the establishment of "private schools at all levels of education". As for the languages of instruction, I note that no language of instruction for higher education in private establishments is either specifically prescribed or specifically prohibited in the Constitution and, therefore, following from the normal principles of law in a democratic state it is to be presumed that it is permissible to have instruction in the language chosen by those establishing such an institution.
I should also like to refer to Article 13(4) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights which states i.a. that the State should not "interfere with the liberty of individuals and bodies to establish and direct educational institutions" (meaning private institutions). Article 2(2) of this Covenant prescribes "that the rights enunciated in the present Covenant will be exercised without discrimination of any kind as to ... language". In this connection I would also like to refer to Article 118 of the Constitution which states that "the international agreements ratified in accordance with the Constitution are part of the internal legal order and cannot be changed by law". Finally I should also like to draw attention to the recommendation of the Council of Europe's Higher Education and Research Committee, which in paragraph 64 of its opinion dated 5 December 1997 states that "the language of instruction should not be a criterion for the recognition of private institutions".
In conformity with the practices in other states, the curriculum of the new institution would have to be approved by the government. It would in my view also be desirable that the government would be represented on the Board. It could also be useful to work out agreements of cooperation with the Universities of Skopje and Bitola.
Ethnic Albanians in public services
As I indicated earlier, the number of ethnic Albanians in the public services is far lower than one could expect considering their numerical strength. The often heard comment that this is due to a considerable degree to the deficiencies of the educational system in Albanian language schools, though correct, only serves to underline the need to proceed with the educational reforms I have outlined before. However, it has to be realised that it will take time before these have the desired effect. In the last few years, some steps have been taken to increase the number of ethnic Albanians in the public services, but progress has been modest. I therefore recommend that the new government will develop a concrete plan to intensify the search for persons of Albanian ethnicity who could be considered as candidates for the public service and that it will have regular consultations with the representatives of the Albanian parties on this subject.
Local government and ethnic minorities
Article 115 of the Constitution stipulates i.a. that in units of local self-government, citizens directly and through representatives participate in decision-making on issues of local relevance particularly in the fields of urban planning, communal activities, culture, sport, social security and child care, pre-school education, primary education, health care and other fields determined by law.
This article makes it clear that the Assembly has opted in principle for forms of decentralisation. In doing so, it has at the same time indicated one of the important instruments which are at the disposal of a unitary state to accommodate local needs, including the local needs of persons belonging to national minorities. The 1995 Law on Local Government has tried to elaborate the principles laid down in Article 115 of the Constitution. Chapter III of the Law specifies the powers of the units of local governments.
Against the background of my conversations on the way this Law is being implemented I should like to make the following recommendations.
Firstly it is of utmost importance for the government and officials of the central administration to ensure, within their competences, the most efficient functioning of local self-government. The spirit of the constitutional legal provisions on local self-government should be reflected in the approach of the central administration towards them.
Secondly, the efficiency of local self-government depends to a large extent on its financial viability. To this end, it is not only important to improve the system of collecting local taxes, but also to ensure that financial resources from the State budget, aimed at supporting units of local government, are promptly and without delay transferred to them, in accordance with existing legal regulations.
Thirdly, I would recommend to analyse how the practical implementation and execution of powers of Local Government in areas as mentioned in Article 115 of the Constitution could be improved and strengthened. I would suggest to the government to continue a comprehensive cooperation on the matter between the relevant authorities and the specialized organs of the Council of Europe.
Fourthly, I would like to emphasize the need for effectively functioning channels of communication between representatives of local self-government and the central government. To this end, I would recommend the institutional strengthening of the Macedonian Association of Local Self-Government Units, established in conformity with Article 10 of the Law on Local Self-Government, which can serve as a forum for exchanges of experiences and for developing a meaningful relationship between self-government units and between them and the central government.
Since it gained independence, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia has overcome many difficulties. It succeeded to remain outside the armed conflicts and the violence which marked the process of dissolution of the former SFR of Yugoslavia. The violence in Kosovo did not spill over its borders. Its position in the community of European states was strengthened by its admission to the OSCE and the Council of Europe. The European Union and various individual states have recognised the important role the country can play as a factor of stability in the Balkans and are trying to help it to overcome its economic problems.
Now that the parliamentary elections have taken place and a new government has to be formed, the political discussion will concentrate on the best ways to ensure the security, stability and economic progress of the country in the next few years. Undoubtedly, the promotion of harmonious interethnic relations will be one of the most important subjects which have to be discussed. I have therefore decided to choose this moment to formulate, as I have done in the past, a number of recommendations regarding this subject which I should like to bring to the attention of the President of the Republic, the leaders of political parties and to the general public.
First and foremost, I should like to stress that, while various ethnic groups are of course entitled to pursue their specific interest, all ethnic groups have to be aware that they have a number of common interests, such as the maintenance of peace and stability, the promotion of economic development and the reduction of unemployment.
Secondly, there is the obligation of all ethnic groups to respect the territorial integrity of the state. The constitutional order has to be respected as well; it can only be changed in accordance with constitutional rules. Disregard of these basic rules will inevitably lead to destabilisation of the state, and, quite possibly, also to violence. As a consequence, all concerned would suffer; no one would gain.
Thirdly, there is in my view the need to move beyond the discussion between the Macedonian parties which favour the present unitary state system, and Albanian parties which want to change it. Experience elsewhere in Europe has shown that within a unitary state important steps can be taken to accommodate the specific desiderata of minorities. It seems to me that what is needed most now is that the various parties engage in a serious dialogue regarding such reforms. In this respect I want to emphasize that it would be wrong to consider any concession to a minority as a weakening of the state. It ought not to be forgotten that meeting wishes of a minority within the constitutional framework of a unitary state might even strengthen the state, because the removal of major sources of its dissatisfaction will strengthen the willingness of a minority to identify with the state.
Finally, I should like to express the hope that during the discussions on the programme of the future government solutions acceptable for both sides can be found for a number of interethnic questions which have been the subject of discussion for so many years. Failure to achieve this result would increase the risk of future interethnic tensions. Success would provide a firm basis for the stability of the country in future. The commitments accepted when the country joined the OSCE and the obligations accepted when it became a party to a number of international agreements in the framework of the UN and the Council of Europe will provide important guidelines in this discussion, also taking into account Article 118 of the Constitution. Above all, I express the hope that the discussion will take into account that the essence of democracy is compromise. In a democratic multi-ethnic state a minority cannot impose a dictate on a majority, but neither can a majority afford to ignore the desiderata of a minority, even less so when it constitutes an important percentage of the population. In the interest of interethnic harmony and stability, both sides will have to modify some of their positions.
Questions regarding Albanian language education
In many of the discussions I had during the last five years, different and sometimes quite opposite views have been expressed regarding the question of instruction in the Albanian language in the framework of the educational system of the state. However, most of my interlocutors agreed that there was a need to improve the quality of Albanian language schools in the field of primary and secondary education. As far as tertiary education was concerned, there was virtual consensus regarding the negative consequences for the Albanian community of the closure of Albanian language courses in Pristina in 1991.
The picture has not been completely dark, however. Since 1993, there has been a gradual increase of the number of Albanian pupils going to Albanian language secondary schools. Also, the number of Albanian students in Skopje and Bitola Universities rose from 3.4% in 1992/1993 to an estimated 9.57% in the academic year 1998/1999. Still, this percentage is much lower than one would expect taking into account the percentage of ethnic Albanians in the total population of the country. This has a negative impact on the chances of Albanians to be appointed in leading positions in the state and state organs, local administration, army and police. The Ministry of Education has tried to help the increase of the percentage of Albanian students by introducing a quota-system for them which I hope will be continued. Taking into account the difficulties Albanian pupils finishing secondary schools have in successfully passing university entrance examinations, I have asked the Foundation on Interethnic Relations in The Hague which supports my work to start a transitional programme offering additional courses to help Albanian students to pass this examination and to follow the courses at the university; the number of interested persons exceeds expectations. Still, both the quota system and the transitional programme provide only partial remedies. Clearly there is a need to take some more far-reaching steps to ensure a better quality of the Albanian primary and secondary schools.
In 1997, a Pedagogical Faculty was started in the framework of Skopje University, which provides Albanian teaching for future teachers in kindergarten and the first four grades of primary schools. This is a step forward, but leaves unsolved the urgent need to improve the quality of teaching in grades V-VIII of Albanian language primary schools and in Albanian language secondary schools. The need to solve this question is especially urgent, because the social and economic advancement of the ethnic Albanian population will be greatly stimulated by such an improvement, the number of Albanian students starting and completing tertiary education will be considerably increased, and an important barrier standing in the way of the appointment of ethnic Albanians in leading positions in state and society will be gradually eliminated.
Taking into account the vital importance for the Albanian community of an adequate teacher training system for the higher grades of primary education and for secondary education, I would recommend the creation of a special Albanian Language State University College for teacher training, which will be linked with the University of Skopje through an agreement of cooperation. Constitutionally the creation of such a university is possible, taking into account Decision 23/1997 of 7 May 1997 regarding the Law on the Pedagogical Faculty which states i.a. that persons belonging to national minorities have the right to be taught in their own language in primary and secondary education and that the state is obliged to create conditions through the educational process to provide this constitutional guarantee.
I would further recommend that the new university will be set up under the following conditions:
1. The curriculum has to be such that it fits into the general teacher training system being applied in the State; 2. Macedonian language courses will be part of the curriculum; 3. The courses are open for interested students of Macedonian or other ethnicity; 4. The faculties of the University will reflect the various groups of subjects taught in the higher grades of primary schools and in secondary schools; 5. The University must concentrate exclusively on teacher training. For instance a person interested in a career in biology other than that of a teacher cannot enroll in the teacher training University; 6. The agreement on cooperation with Skopje University will have to provide for common courses with Macedonian students at that University in modern languages and in new subjects like civic education and human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to national minorities.
Regarding the question whether the training of teachers for Albanian kindergartens and teachers in the first four grades in Albanian language primary schools would have to be moved from the Pedagogical Faculty in Skopje to the new university, my recommendation is to maintain the existing arrangement at Skopje University. However, in case of a recurrence of the difficulties which for a time stood in the way of a successful start of the new Pedagogical Faculty, it would in my view become inevitable to transfer the training of this group of teachers to the new University.
It is realistic to assume that the Albanian ethnic community might not be able to provide a sufficient number of teachers for the new University during its first years of existence. This might be especially the case in the field of training for teachers in secondary schools. This problem will have to be overcome by recruiting teachers of Macedonian ethnicity and ethnic Albanian teachers who were born in the country but are presently living in Western Europe, the United States or elsewhere.
Although the new Albanian language teacher training institution would of course have to concentrate on pre-service training it would be desirable to have in-service training courses as well, for instance during holiday periods.
There will be a clear need for international assistance to realise this plan. My provisional contacts give me hope that such assistance might be mobilised. Evidently, the first need is a study to analyse the best ways to realise the project and to estimate its costs. I express the hope that the international community, and possibly also NGO's, might also be willing to help in enabling the study of new subjects like civic education and human rights. I attach special importance to the concept of students of Macedonian and Albanian ethnicity studying these subjects in common. In order to promote the integration process, summer camps of students of different ethnicity, combined with courses aimed at promoting integration, could also be very valuable.
Finally, I should like to come back to the educational needs of the country which are of importance for the whole population, regardless of ethnicity. In this respect I permit myself to come back to suggestions I have made earlier with respect to public administration and business. Regarding public administration, I recall that there is so far no educational institution in the country dealing specifically with the training of civil servants. A specialised professional education for positions in administration is highly desirable. Apart from theoretical knowledge, especially in the field of law, it would also provide a knowledge of political and administrative processes with respect to both policy making and policy execution. Theoretical, normative and practical aspects of public administration would be approached in their entirety.
Regarding the field of business, it is my impression that the country could greatly profit from highly qualified students in business administration. It is obvious that such high level training could serve to promote the expansion of small and medium sized enterprises. It is to be noted that business schools play an extremely useful role in many other European states.
I do of course realise that severe financial constraints greatly reduce the possibilities of the government to provide additional educational opportunities, at any rate for the next few years. I am of the opinion, therefore, that an effort must be made to mobilise international financial support. What I have in mind is the creation of a Private Higher Education Centre for Public Administration and Business, founded by a consortium of states interested in helping the country in this important field. Once the institution has been set up, the contribution of the international community could gradually decrease while that part of the costs covered by tuition fees could gradually increase.
In order to ensure its maximum utility, it would be of importance to add a language training center. Regarding the business section of the new institution, it would be valuable to pay special attention to the field of European studies. This will be even more important when the cooperation between the European Union and the state would eventually take the form of an association agreement. The international orientation of the Centre could be further enhanced by inviting visiting teachers.
My suggestion is that the new institution would be trilingual. While teaching in English would predominate and therefore accentuate its international orientation, lectures in both the Macedonian and Albanian languages will be needed to ensure maximum access to the tuition provided.
As regards the legal basis of the private higher education institution I am proposing, it has to be kept in mind that Article 45 of the Constitution explicitly provides for the establishment of "private schools at all levels of education". As for the languages of instruction, I note that no language of instruction for higher education in private establishments is either specifically prescribed or specifically prohibited in the Constitution and, therefore, following from the normal principles of law in a democratic state it is to be presumed that it is permissible to have instruction in the language chosen by those establishing such an institution.
I should also like to refer to Article 13(4) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights which states i.a. that the State should not "interfere with the liberty of individuals and bodies to establish and direct educational institutions" (meaning private institutions). Article 2(2) of this Covenant prescribes "that the rights enunciated in the present Covenant will be exercised without discrimination of any kind as to ... language". In this connection I would also like to refer to Article 118 of the Constitution which states that "the international agreements ratified in accordance with the Constitution are part of the internal legal order and cannot be changed by law". Finally I should also like to draw attention to the recommendation of the Council of Europe's Higher Education and Research Committee, which in paragraph 64 of its opinion dated 5 December 1997 states that "the language of instruction should not be a criterion for the recognition of private institutions".
In conformity with the practices in other states, the curriculum of the new institution would have to be approved by the government. It would in my view also be desirable that the government would be represented on the Board. It could also be useful to work out agreements of cooperation with the Universities of Skopje and Bitola.
Ethnic Albanians in public services
As I indicated earlier, the number of ethnic Albanians in the public services is far lower than one could expect considering their numerical strength. The often heard comment that this is due to a considerable degree to the deficiencies of the educational system in Albanian language schools, though correct, only serves to underline the need to proceed with the educational reforms I have outlined before. However, it has to be realised that it will take time before these have the desired effect. In the last few years, some steps have been taken to increase the number of ethnic Albanians in the public services, but progress has been modest. I therefore recommend that the new government will develop a concrete plan to intensify the search for persons of Albanian ethnicity who could be considered as candidates for the public service and that it will have regular consultations with the representatives of the Albanian parties on this subject.
Local government and ethnic minorities
Article 115 of the Constitution stipulates i.a. that in units of local self-government, citizens directly and through representatives participate in decision-making on issues of local relevance particularly in the fields of urban planning, communal activities, culture, sport, social security and child care, pre-school education, primary education, health care and other fields determined by law.
This article makes it clear that the Assembly has opted in principle for forms of decentralisation. In doing so, it has at the same time indicated one of the important instruments which are at the disposal of a unitary state to accommodate local needs, including the local needs of persons belonging to national minorities. The 1995 Law on Local Government has tried to elaborate the principles laid down in Article 115 of the Constitution. Chapter III of the Law specifies the powers of the units of local governments.
Against the background of my conversations on the way this Law is being implemented I should like to make the following recommendations.
Firstly it is of utmost importance for the government and officials of the central administration to ensure, within their competences, the most efficient functioning of local self-government. The spirit of the constitutional legal provisions on local self-government should be reflected in the approach of the central administration towards them.
Secondly, the efficiency of local self-government depends to a large extent on its financial viability. To this end, it is not only important to improve the system of collecting local taxes, but also to ensure that financial resources from the State budget, aimed at supporting units of local government, are promptly and without delay transferred to them, in accordance with existing legal regulations.
Thirdly, I would recommend to analyse how the practical implementation and execution of powers of Local Government in areas as mentioned in Article 115 of the Constitution could be improved and strengthened. I would suggest to the government to continue a comprehensive cooperation on the matter between the relevant authorities and the specialized organs of the Council of Europe.
Fourthly, I would like to emphasize the need for effectively functioning channels of communication between representatives of local self-government and the central government. To this end, I would recommend the institutional strengthening of the Macedonian Association of Local Self-Government Units, established in conformity with Article 10 of the Law on Local Self-Government, which can serve as a forum for exchanges of experiences and for developing a meaningful relationship between self-government units and between them and the central government.