Childhood Diseases of Democracy

Implemented
sashozs

Donator: National Endowment for Democracy – NED
Timeline of the project: April 2018 – June 2019

The project  aims to increase the accountability, transparency and the direction of reforms by the government and local self-governments, by raising public, expert and leadership awareness of  “Childhood Diseases of Democracy” and recognizing them, manifested through a huge number of justifying discourses, extra-institutional democracy, civic attitudes, beliefs and ways of work of the institutions, which contribute to be no real change from the reforms and that the reform goals are not realized.

Project products: 

TV SHOWS

COLUMNS AND ARTICLES

EXPERT PRESENTATIONS

ARTICLES AND DAILY NEWS FOR PANEL 
“Reform Bench-Darkness: Do We Have Reforms and Why not?”

ANNOUNCEMENT OF PANEL 
“Reform Bench-Darkness: Do We Have Reforms and Why not?”

ARTICLES

TV SHOWS AND RESEARCHES

  • ACTAC Survey in INDEPENDENT newspaper on front page

Full article can be found on the following link – INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER – https://nezavisen.mk/mk/vesti/2018/11/100674/?fbclid=IwAR1M_4kaiqEM-q82FlInIBTMl9onklOPSMQ3Fa-KGpcfP_1TbSZMgZpfBXI

  • Expert panel: Reforms fate in times of political crisis

AGTIS – ACTAC – The panel presented the most important results from the ACTAC survey on citizens’ attitudes regarding the reforms and several short thematic introductory reforms (case studies), followed by a discussion of several aspects of the reforms in our country that are taking place under constant a political crisis, a flood of political events that deeply touch the fate of the country and cause high charges among citizens, feeding on further polarization after political prevalence) – 30.10.2018

AGTIS – ACTAC – “For information, in 2002, when the anti-corruption law was introduced for the first time, we were the first in the region, then Slovenia copied our law, then other countries, and after that, all the new laws were harmonized with the European legislation, while some “make-ups” were made in our country, and the same criteria remained in the law “- says Vanja Mihajlova, anti-corruption expert. “This expert composition does not reflect that part of the public, and the tragedy is that when you look at the research of young generations, it is striking that we all have the opportunity to see that 35 year-old people in high positions are massively committed to putting people in coffins, broken elevators, etc. As far as we have a problem with the expert and political part how the reforms are done, so we have a problem with a wider political culture and mentality “- emphasizes Saso Ordanoski – 29.10.2018

AGTIS – ACTAC – “In Macedonia all reform processes in the judiciary are being approached irresponsibly, because, firstly, no empirical research is carried out on the sector that needs to be reformed, and instead, ready solutions from other countries are often taken that are often inapplicable to the mentality and the environment in the which we live. Every reform should be consistent with the social climate, and therefore, not by accident, and ACTAC puts reforms in the very social context. I felt that the most important thing in the reforms is the legislation that will be adopted, but after the experience I saw that the problem is in the implementation. It requires an overall social reaction in terms of increasing the value system, departatization as a precondition and introducing criteria of expertise, competence, introducing ethical, moral codes in institutions, sanctioning those who break those ethical and moral codes “- Sasha Djordjevich – 29.10.2018

AGTIS – ACTAC – “Today I get a strong impression that our society is a society of amateurs, based on amateurism, not professionalism. This is one great truth for 30 years, and I think that it will follow us after Macedonia joins the EU. How else can we interpret this trick question by the researchers, in which one can notice that 302, or most of the people, answered that they had heard about plan 3-6-9, and on the other hand, 299 heard about things that did not exist. So, everywhere we fail to dedicate ourselves to what is our job, and this is reflected in the public administration, both in the civil service and in the NGO sector. Even here things do not bloom, because we are more expecting to serve our things on a plate than to produce ourselves that can be properly applied in R. Macedonia “- says Nikola Dujovski- 29.10.2018

AGTIS – ACTAC – “How true is the Government’s statement, whether we suffer from a lack of political will, or we suffer from insecurity. We see many technical things do not work, and therefore we wanted through this project to see children’s diseases of democracy. That’s why we made a survey with which we wanted to examine whether there are any new values. I am thrilled by the fact that many of the respondents (although there were many оbjections) had an emotional approach to the research. You know, you asked the citizens, but they did not believe that something is important, because the thing will not change. Now they believe, even get angry and quarrel with the interviewers. It’s an engaged approach that was not up to 2 years ago, and I think that the level of hope has been raised in the general population “- says Aleksandar Cvetkoski – 29.10.2018

AGTIS – ACTAC – “Our Constitutional Court was not involved in the reform strategy of the judicial sector; first it existed and then it was removed, I realize that this is because of the specific role and position that the Constitutional Court has with us, that it is an independent, that hierarchical arrangement of the other judicial system in the Republic of Macedonia. Macedonia, but I still think that it should undergo serious reform changes. In addition to the constitutional changes, a new Rules of Procedure of the Constitutional Court should be adopted, which will be modern and operative very carefully and will precisely elaborate all those dimensions of the work of the constitutional court. Unfortunately, this is not the case today, the rules of procedure are dated 91. We know that the constitutional court in our country is an institution with a tradition, it existed in the socialist times, over 50 years there, but this rulebook on which the current Constitutional Court is operating is 91, “says Natasha Gaber-Damjanovska) – 29.10.2018

AGTIS – ACTAC – We are in the process of reform for decades. And it is necessary not just the laws to be reformed, the way they are applied should be reformed. As the stock market indicator of both the economy and policy, the indicator of success is the large cases that are being conducted in the courts by the SPP and the case of April 27th. It is a test of the success of the reforms. Do the judges themselves want to be independent? It’s a test. These cases are that test. Now the courts are freer to “solve this test”. And current ministers are suspects, so it will not be easy for them.When the prime minister spoke of reconciliation; everyone heard “amnesty”, for “pardon”. That would mean that, if the prime minister wants, that will happen, even though he has no jurisdiction over it. If there is an independent judiciary, it cannot be easily done. The prosecutor should withdraw from the charges, which is not easy. It speaks of the mentality that is formed and what the MPs, judges, citizens expect. That mentality can be changed only if the institutions act in accordance with their competences. Not all things are dependent on one person, as was the past 11 years. It is the test of reforms. That way we will know if the judiciary reforms succeed. Besa Arifi said – 26.10.2018

AGTIS – ACTAC – If you are making a vetting of judges (a statement by the Albanian president), you need to make vetting of politicians. For the vetting we need to see the experiences from abroad, but also our experiences. Such a vetting we had in the nineties (the general re-election of judges), but were the results good? What is the system of monitoring the success of plans and strategies? And in the reform strategy of the Public Administration and in the judiciary, that segment of tracking success is quite scarce. It creates a risk of bringing flaws and errors. It is said that 85% of the previous strategy was implemented. How did this percentage come about – there is no answer. The goals are not achieved in either of them, and the percentage achievements as much as you want. It is a lump-sum measurement of the success of the reforms. It is a problem that the prime minister is at the head of those councils, and success should be measured. New ways of measuring the success of the reforms need to be quantitatively and qualitatively (such as the satisfaction of users of public administration services). There are models from abroad about the quality of court decisions) – 26.10.2018

AGTIS – ACTAC – Do judges want to be independent? There were no ideas and initiatives for resolving the problems and accusations against the judiciary all these years. The prospects of prosecutors and judges do not guarantee that this situation can be improved. With the past reforms, a decision was adopted that they should be the basis of the Judicial Council and we see that such a solution did not produce results. Only if an objective analysis of the work of the judges is done is possible, and the same applies to changing the laws. With such data, no one can stun in the assessment of judges and prosecutors – 26.10.2018

AGTIS-ACTAC –Should the reforms be like this? 27 ministers, as a commitment for a small and efficient administration; duplicated institutions with undefined competences, conflict of authority and overlap of work; the inoperability of the most important monitoring institutions; framework employments for sitting at home, taking wages, although they are abroad, and those who are here can choose where they want to work. In our country, one thing Is declared, another is being done, from the “Framework Agreement” to lustration. Sefer Tahiri – 26.10.2018

AGTIS – ACTAC – Judging the judges, that is, the judges ‘assessment of whether they deserved to retain the judges’ tug was not allowed by the international factor, claims Professor Daneva. The idea of ​​vetting police officers – announced by Minister Spasovski is the next assessment work. Ana Pavlovska Daneva believes that such vetting and control whether higher officials in the Ministry of Interior have legally worked in the service is also needed in the public administration, because only a few people work in the whole institution. And there the reforms last for decades, but it remains largely on paper. Any reform is a political decision, and the expert public can give a critical review of the improvement of the reforms, Daneva concludes. Expert Panel: “The Fate of Reforms in Times of Political Crisis” organized by ACTAC, within the project “Childhood Diseases of Democracy”) – 25.10.2018

AGTIS – ACTAC – Professor Nikola Popovski says that flat tax should be abandoned because it cuts budget revenues and deepens the problem of growing social differences. The perspectives in the tax policy are rather vague, says Popovski, because we change the tax model on average every five years for 25 years. Taxpayers are uncertain about the system, whether the rate will be progressive or proportional, and therefore it is necessary, he says, to stabilize the tax policy and to bring more security. Expert Panel: “The Fate of Reforms in Times of Political Crisis” organized by ACTAC, within the project “Childhood Diseases of Democracy”- 25.10.2018

AGTIS – ACTAC – Professor Borche Davitkovski points out that the bureaucracy is the hardest to reform and that it cannot be realized without a strong will for reform and without changing the perceptions of what the reform really is. Expert Panel: “The Fate of Reforms in Times of Political Crisis” organized by ACTAC, within the project “Childhood Diseases of Democracy”) – 25.10.2018

TIME.mk – Expert Panel on the Fate of Reforms in Conditions of Political Crisis

AGTIS – ACTAC -Macedonia is European champion in terms of how much income the richest citizens earn. This is one of the reasons why the proportional personal tax should be abandoned in Macedonia, which means a single tax rate of 10 per cent, regardless of the income realized, and introduce a progressive tax, where there will be a higher personal tax for those with higher incomes, said former Finance Minister Nikola Popovski, who participated in yesterday’s expert panel “The Fate of Reforms in Times of Political Crisis”- 28.10.2018

Sloboden pecat – Only in our country one percent of the richest people have 14.4 percent of the total income – 25.10.2018

https://www.slobodenpecat.mk/biznis/samo-kaj-nas-eden-otsto-od-najbogatite-imaat-14-4-otsto-od-vkupniot-dohod/?fbclid=IwAR10o1hix2xJjOzU21sr2M_Gaj09DY1Kmrkcnj8jeA8sfT5OLoIz8UXPoVc

AGTIS – ACTAC – AKADEMIK: Within the framework of the project “Childhood Diseases of Democracy”, ACTAC organized an expert panel entitled “The fate of reforms in times of political crisis”. In addition to the expert debate on the reforms, the panel discussed the results of the survey and the research on the implementation of the reforms. The political will for the reforms is crucial for the successful realization of the reforms was the general conclusion of the expert panel -25.10.2018

AKADEMIK – Expert Panel on the Fate of Reforms in Conditions of Political Crisis) – 25.10.2018

Експертски панел за судбината на реформите во услови на политичка криза

Portalb – Anketë: Krahasuar me Gruevskin, institucionet janë më pak të varura nga Zaevi – 24.10.2018

Anketë: Krahasuar me Gruevskin, institucionet janë më pak të varura nga Zaevi (FOTO)

AGTIS – ACTAC – PORTALB: Part of yesterday’s expert panel: “The fate of reforms in times of political crisis” organized by ACTAC, part of the project “Childhood Diseases of Democracy” – 25.10.2018

Portalb – Modeli funksionues, DSK-ja të ndahet nga MPB-ja – 24.10.2018

Modeli funksionues, DSK-ja të ndahet nga MPB-ja

National ALSAT M – Reformat e nevojshme për në BE – 24.10.2018

https://www.alsat-m.tv/reformat-e-nevojshme-per-ne-be/?fbclid=IwAR1SZge8UMSa2qHuSjSAQT-6mWqYPb9V07Dny5gM0n_2ThUV6yxNajqAE5c

AGTIS – ACTAC – ALSAT M TV: Part of yesterday’s expert panel: “The fate of reforms in times of political crisis” organized by ACTAC, part of the project “Childhood Diseases of Democracy”. The reforms that have begun the past two decades were not realistic and effective, experts estimate in the wake of the introduction of a new reform strategy called “Plan 18” – 25.10.2018

National ALSAT M – Experts: Lack of political will to implement the reforms – 24.10.2018

National Telma TV – The government insists on reconciliation after Mickoski sought a law on amnesty – 24.10.2018

Власта инсистира на помирување откако Мицкоски побара закон за амнестија

AGTIS-ACTAC – Telma TV: Part of yesterday’s expert panel: “The fate of reforms in times of political crisis” organized by ACTAC, part of the project “Childhood Diseases of Democracy”. Professor Nikola Popovski says that flat tax should be abandoned because it cuts budget revenues and deepens the problem of growing social differences – 25.10.2018

National Telma TV – Macedonia needs a progressive tax – 24.10.2018

На Македонија и треба прогресивен данок

AGTIS-ACTAC –  Telma TV: Part of yesterday’s expert panel: “The fate of reforms in times of political crisis” organized by ACTAC, part of the project “Childhood Diseases of Democracy”. Professor Anna Pavlova Daneva, a member of the Judicial Reform Council, argues that the re-election, i.e. the judge’s assessment of whether they deserve to retain the judge’s tug, was not allowed by the international factor – 25.10.2018

National Telma TV – Eng. Vetting for judges – banned from the international community? – 24.10.2018

Ветингот за судиите – забранет од меѓународната заедница?

CIVIL MEDIA – Announcement (Reforms fate in times of political crisis) – 22.10.2018

Судбината на реформите во услови на политичка криза
  • Special TV Show for Survey results:

Saso Ordanoski page: ANALYSIS | Where are the reforms in conditions of a political crisis, a conversation with the guest Aleksandar Cvetkoski, a representative of NGO ACTAC. Take a look at the Monday talk here, and tomorrow we’ll see you again live in front of small screens with new content in # Open Studio1 – 28.10.2018

AGTIS-ACTAC: Part from survey’s ACTAC results – Citizens more aware and with more hope for reform – a topic in Studio 1 – 26.10.2018

OTV Prilep: Studio 1 starts with an analysis of the results of the survey: Where are the reforms in the conditions of a political crisis? About this topic in the studio is Aleksandar Cvetkoski – representative of NGO ACTAC – 22.10.2018

AGTIS-ACTAC: Studio 1 starts with an analysis of the results of the survey: Where are the reforms in the conditions of a political crisis? About this topic in the studio is Aleksandar Cvetkoski – representative of NGO ACTAC – 22.10.2018

1TV: ACTAC Survey: Citizens more aware and with more hope for reform – a topic in Studio 1 – 22.10.2018

Анкета на АКТИС: Граѓаните поосвестени и со повеќе надеж за реформи – тема во Студио 1

1TV – Studio 1 starts with an analysis of the results of the survey: Where are the reforms in the conditions of a political crisis? About this topic in the studio is Aleksandar Cvetkoski – representative of NGO ACTAC – 22.10.2018

  • Series of columns of Aleksandar Cvetkoski:

OTV Prilep –  Spoiled brat and European cheerleaders  – 07/09/2018
Plus Info –  Spoiled brat and European cheerleaders – 07/09/2018
OTV Prilep – Dedicated to Toni Mihajlovski  – 03/09/2018
Plus Info –  Dedicated to Toni Mihajlovski – 03/09/2018
OTV Prilep – Referendum against the flatterers – 31/08/2018
Plus Info –   Referendum against the flatterers – 31/08/2018
OTV Prilep –  Macedonia is not present in the referendum – 23/08/2018
Plus Info – Macedonia is not present in the referendum – 23/08/2018
OTV Prilep –  You’ll die – 16/08/2018
Plus Info –   You’ll die – 16/08/2018
OTV Prilep –  Patriotic friendships with moronic intentions– 08/08/2018
Plus Info –  Patriotic friendships with moronic intentions – 08/08/2018
OTV Prilep – First, referendum, then, “accompanying buddies” – 01/08/2018
Plus Info –  First, referendum, then, “accompanying buddies” – 01/08/2018
OTV Prilep –  Elections, not referendum – 25/07/2018
Plus Info –  Elections, not referendum – 25/07/2018
OTV Prilep –  Ivana Vasilevska, do not tempt Zaev to return the 2016 conditions – 18/07/2018
Plus Info –   Ivana Vasilevska, do not tempt Zaev to return the 2016 conditions – 18/07/2018
Plus Info –   SDSM – VMRO: Country and Alpha Centauri – 04/07/2018
AGTIS – ACTAC –  Christian, do not shout at the microphone – 20/06/2018
Plus Info –  Christian, do not shout at the microphone – 20/06/2018
AGTIS – ACTAC – You know, gentlemen Zoran and Christian, Water and Forests are patriotism  – 29/05/2018
Plus Info – You know, gentlemen Zoran and Christian, Water and Forests are patriotism – 29/05/2018
AGTIS – ACTAC – One year SDSM ruling VMRO blabbing – 24/05/2018
Plus Info –   One year SDSM ruling VMRO blabbing – 24/05/2018
AGTIS – ACTAC –  Why should we go to the EU in general? – 17/05/2018
Plus Info –   Why should we go to the EU in general? – 17/05/2018
AGTIS – ACTAC –  In prison for nothing – 09/05/2018
Plus Info –  In prison for nothing – 09/05/2018
AGTIS – ACTAC –  Erga omnes, or allegedly Plan “A” – 03/05/2018
Plus Info –   Erga omnes, or allegedly Plan “A” – 03/05/2018
AGTIS – ACTAC –  To the doctor for diagnosis, to the witch doctor for treatment – 25/04/2018
 Plus Info –   To the doctor for diagnosis, to the witch doctor for treatment – 25/04/2018
AGTIS – ACTAC – Do we expect too much from ourselves – 18/04/2018
Plus Info –   Do we expect too much from ourselves – 18/04/2018
AGTIS – ACTAC –  Angela, wonder how much children you have  – 16/04/2018
Plus Info –   Angela, wonder how much children you have –
16/04/2018
AGTIS – ACTAC –  No one’s land and salad slicer – 13/04/2018
Plus Info – No one’s land and salad slicer – 13/04/2018

  • Interviews of Aleksandar Cvetkoski for Radio Slobodna Evropa:

Radio Slobodna Evropa –   Trust in polls depends on democratic development – 15.09.2018
Radio Slobodna Evropa –  Increase in salaries on the eve of a referendum – 13.09.2018

  • INTERVIEWS WITH FORMER AND CURRENT OFFICIALS:

Pavle Trajanov  – former Interior Minister

MRC, Nish Serbia –   PAVLE TRAJANOV: Is Macedonia a “prime minister” state? – 07.08.2018

OTV Prilep –  PAVLE TRAJANOV: Is Macedonia a “prime minister” state? – 07.08.2018

OTV Prilep –  ANNOUNCEMENT 07.08.2018:  PAVLE TRAJANOV: Is Macedonia a “prime minister” state? – 06.08.2018

Imer Selmani  – former Minister of Health and Vice Prime Minister for implementation of the Ohrid Agreement

FAKTIDITOR – IMER SELMANI: DO PRANOJA KANDIDATURË PËR PRESIDENT SHTETI

KDPOLITIK – Selmani: Pranoj të jem kandidat për President

ZHURNAL TV LAJME –Selmani: Pranoj të jem kandidat për President

MRC, Nish Serbia –

Imer Selmani: Reforms do not just mean putting them on paper, they need to come to life – 03.08.2018

OTV Prilep – Imer Selmani: Reforms do not just mean putting them on paper, they need to come to life – 03.08.2018

OTV Prilep –  Announcement 03.08.2018 Imer Selmani: Reforms do not just mean putting them on paper, they need to come to life 
– 02.08.2018

Gjorgji Spasov  – former Minister of Justice

Gjorgji Spasov Fb page:  – 01.08.2018

MRC, Nish Serbia – Interview with Gjorgji Spasov, former Minister of Justice: Why would party “sultans” need reforms? – 31.07.2018

OTV Prilep – Gjorgji Spasov: Why would party “sultans” need reforms? – 31.07.2018

OTV Prilep –  Announcement 31.07.2018 Gjorgji Spasov: Why would party “sultans” need reforms? – 30.07.2018

Jahi Jahiu  – State Secretary in the Ministry of Information Society and Public Administration

Jahi Jahiu Personal Fb: – 30.07.2018

SHTEGU –  Yahiu: Even 2/3 majority affects the number of public administration – 29.07.2018

Jahi Jahiu Personal Fb – 30.07.2018

MRC, Nish Serbia –  Yahi Yahiu: Even 2/3 majority affects the number of public administration – 27.07.2018

OTV Prilep –  Yahi Yahiu: Even 2/3 majority affects the number of public administration – 27.07.2018

OTV Prilep –  Announcement 27.07.2018: Yahi Yahiu: Even 2/3 majority affects the number of public administration – 26.07.2018

Vlado Buchkovski  – former Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia and Minister of Defense

MRC, Nish Serbia –  Vlado Buchkovski: My” factory” is a toy compared to the ones of Gruevski and Zaev – 24.07.2018

OTV Prilep – My” factory” is a toy compared to the ones of Gruevski and Zaev – 24.07.2018

OTV Prilep – Announcement: 24.07.2018: My” factory” is a toy compared to the ones of Gruevski and Zaev – 23.07.2018

Bujar Osmani  – Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs

FAKTIDITOR – BUJAR OSMANI: HAZBLI LIKA S’E BOJKOTON QEVERINË – 17.07.2018

KDPOLITIK – BUJAR OSMANI: HAZBLI LIKA S’E BOJKOTON QEVERINË – 17.07.2018

Realiteti Press – OSMANI: HAZBLI LIKA S’E BOJKOTON QEVERINË – 17.07.2018

INA- Iliria News Agency – OSMANI: HAZBLI LIKA S’E BOJKOTON QEVERINË –   – 16.07.2018

TOP NEWS – Osmani: Hazbi Lika s’e bojkoton qeverinë – 17.07.2018

MRC, Nish Serbia –   Bujar Osmani: Reforms are not an illusion – 20.07.2018

OTV Prilep –  Bujar Osmani: Reforms are not an illusion- 20.07.2018

OTV Prilep – Announcement 20.07.2018: Bujar Osmani: Reforms are not an illusion- 19.07.2018

Robert Popovski – Minister of Communications, Accountability and Transparency

MRC, Nish Serbia – Popovski recommends: Support the reforms – 18.07.2018

OTV Prilep –  Popovski recommends: Support the reforms- 18.07.2018

OTV Prilep – Announcement 18.07.2018: Popovski recommends: Support the reforms  – 17.07.2018

  • Initial public appearance:

AGTIS – ACTAC –  Participation of  University Professor Sefer Tahiri in the show Click Plus on TV 21 – 27.06.2018

Participation of  University Professor Sefer Tahiri in the show Click Plus on TV 21 – 27.06.2018

 Reforms article of University Professor Sefer Tahiri in ZERIAMERIKES “The issue of Macedonia’s name and the expected referendum” – 26.06.2018

AGTIS – ACTAC –  Participation of Prof. Dr. Nikola Popovski, former Minister of Finance in the show Trend Analysis on TV 24 – 25.06.2018

Participation of Prof. Dr. Nikola Popovski, former Minister of Finance in the show Trend Analysis on TV 24 – 25.06.2018

 Participation of university professor Sefer Tahiri in the show on “360 Degrees” on Alsat M TV – 22.06.2018

AGTIS – ACTAC – Written article of Prof. Dr. Nikola Popovski, former Minister of Finance “Possible economic consequences of the name settlement” in  Independent newspaper – 21.06.2018

 Written article of Prof. Dr. Nikola Popovski, former Minister of Finance “Possible economic consequences of the name settlement“ in  Independent newspaper – 21.06.2018

OTV Prilep – Participation on Prof. Dr. Nikola Popovski, former Minister of Finance in the show on “360 Degrees” on Alsat M TV – 11.06.2018

Participation on Prof. Dr. Nikola Popovski, former Minister of Finance in the show on “360 Degrees” on Alsat M TV – 08.06.2018