Action summary

The Council of Europe will assist the national authorities in overcoming the identified shortcomings and practical deficiencies related to the protection of human rights in the country in line with the international standards and best practices. The project will be implemented in close cooperation and partnership with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and will include a wider group of national partners and stakeholders, including the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the judiciary, the Ombudsman and the National Preventive Mechanism, the Standing Inquiry Committee for Protection of Civil Rights and Freedoms, and prominent civil society organisations active in the field of protection and promotion of human rights.

This action is part of the Council of Europe/European Union Horizontal Facility for Western Balkans and Turkey.

Overall objective

The overall objective of the project is to strengthen the protection of human rights in the country in line with the Council of Europe and international standards.

Outcomes and expected outputs

Outcome 1: Introduce effective oversight over police work through establishing an external mechanism.

Expected outputs:

  • The legislative and institutional framework of the independent external oversight mechanism (EOM) over the police work has been established
  • The capacities of the EOM staff on conducting independent and effective investigation of the complaints against the police have been developed

Outcome 2: Improve human rights compliance of the police through strengthening the preventive safeguards against ill-treatment and enhancing the internal police investigative mechanism.

Expected outputs:

  • The in-service police training mechanisms are made sustainable and procedures on treatment of persons in police custody are in line with international standards
  • The capacities of the internal police control mechanism with respect to investigating and combating ill-treatment are further improved.

This webpage has been produced using funds of a joint project between the European Union and the Council of Europe.  The views expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Union.

Project at a glance
  • Duration:18 months (completed by 28 February 2018)
  • Beneficaries: Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the judiciary, the Ombudsman
    and the National Preventive Mechanism, the Standing Inquiry Committee for Protection of Civil
    Rights and Freedoms, and prominent civil society organisations active in the field of protection and
    promotion of human rights
  • Funding: The European Union and the Council of Europe
  • Budget: € 550 000 EUR
Project contacts

Petar Jordanoski: Senior Project Officer

Dusica Zafirovska: Project Finance Assistant

Sandra Prilepcanska Popovska: Linguistic Assistant