Citizens for Change #23

OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2025 | DOWNLOAD PDF

Civic Participation is Right and Responsibility for All

The focus of this issue of Citizens for Change is civic participation. A topic which was not only discussed by CSOs in this quarter, but also practiced.

The colleagues from Pro Local Bitola did this at regional and local level, in the whole of Pelagonija. Together with their partners from the sector and the municipalities from the region, they included the young people whose proposals and analyses have contributed to creating more fair local policies for all nine municipalities. “These solutions were not writer behind closed doors, but are rather a result of a process where the young people themselves have identified the problems”, says Emilija Gjeroska from “Pro Local”.

Women activists from local communities and representatives of women’s organizations, organised by “Akcija Zdruzhenska” – Skopje, came to the Parliament to officially present their demands to women MPs. They asked for changes in the Law on Local Self-Government that would provide for a multi-phased procedure for citizen participation, with a special focus on the guaranteed participation of women.

Center for Climate Change published their Shadow Report on Chapter 27 which reveals that the situation with the environment is at a standstill. They appealed to the Government, Parliament and the institutions in charge to urgently adopt the Chapter 27 laws that are stuck and to provide stable financing for the environment sector; they said that the consequences of the institutional passivity are directly felt by the citizens because of the deterioration of their health and the degradation of the natural resources.

In support of all CSO initiatives, especially when it comes to civic participation, Civica Mobilitas has organised the second National Forum – Fair of CSOs in cooperation with the RNM government. The statements of the representatives of the central government were more than encouraging when it comes to cooperation and participation of CSOs. The Prime Minister Mickoski informed about the Government vision of the civil sector as strong, independent, professional and sustainable, a real partner in the creation and implementation of state policies. “A sector that strengthens democracy, protects the rights of the citizens, monitors the work of the institutions and helps to close the gap between the institutions and the people”, said he.

What remains for all of us is a lot of work to convince those who are skeptical that civic participation is not yet another “popular” topic for the CSOs but rather out responsibility as CSOs and as citizens. We should be aware that our participation in the community, at work, in the institutions can make a change only if the former exists. The processes in which more citizens participate create more realistic policies because they include various perspectives. Our activity makes the society more just, stronger and more sustainable.

Have a pleasant reading!