HF II North Macedonia - Enhancing penitentiary system External Oversight Mechanism

As part of the co-operation framework co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, known as the Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey, phase II (Horizontal Facility II), the Council of Europe implemented the Action “Enhancing the capacities of the penitentiary system and the External Oversight Mechanism in North Macedonia”, in close cooperation and partnership with the Ministry of Justice (Directorate for Execution of Sanctions), Ministry of Health, Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Ombudsman’s Office. The Action also involved a wide group of other national stakeholders, including prominent civil society organisations active in the area of protection and promotion of human rights.

The main aim of the Action was to contribute to a safer and more humane society that respects and protects the rights of detained and sentenced persons in line with the Council of Europe standards in the area of penitentiary and law enforcement.

The key Conventions for this Action were the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR), as well as the recommendations of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) and the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).

The duration of the project was set at 36 months and it was completed by 31 December 2022, with an overall budget of 1,050,000 Euros.

Project documentation

Useful information

PROJECT NEWS

Back Salary increase of 30% for the prisons’ medical staff in North Macedonia

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The medical staff working in North Macedonia’s prisons now receive 30% higher salaries, as a result of the recently introduced hazard duty pay, agreed by the Ministry of Health and respective trade union at the end of 2022. This major change follows the legislative analysis developed by the action, the subsequent roadmap on improving healthcare in prisons, as well as the intensive communication of the Council of Europe with the highest representatives of the Government, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Justice, part of the broader consultations with all stakeholders. It is expected this raise will further incentivise future applicants for the positions of medical staff in prisons, thus improving the overall quality of healthcare provision.

This important step is addressing one of the most important recommendation and findings of the reports of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture, the EU Progress reports, the Ombudsman reports, as well as reports of relevant CSOs. Identified as one of the most critical issues, healthcare in prisons has been on the focus of this action throughout the past years and will continue to be one of the topics to be addressed under Horizontal Facility phase III.

This achievement was accomplished following the expertise provided under the action on “Enhancing the capacities of the penitentiary system and the External Oversight Mechanism in North Macedonia”, which is a part of the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019-2022".

North Macedonia 5 January 2023