Back Judges in North Macedonia strengthen skills on Freedom of Expression

Judges in North Macedonia strengthen skills on Freedom of Expression

The Basic Court in Gostivar hosted a capacity building activity on the “Protection of Honour and Reputation in the Context of the Right to Freedom of Expression under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The activity brought together judges from the Basic Courts of Kicevo, Tetovo and Gostivar and was organised in co-operation with the Academy for Judges and Public Prosecutors.

The training provided an opportunity for participants to deepen their knowledge and exchange experiences regarding the application of European standards and the case law of the European Court of Human Rights related to freedom of expression and its permissible limitations.  The discussions focused on balancing freedom of expression with the protection of privacy, with particular emphasis on Article 10 of the Convention, relevant European Court jurisprudence, and the domestic legal framework. Participants also tackled the role of the media as public watchdogs, the legal test to assess restrictions on freedom of expression, and the criteria applicable in cases involving defamation, insult, and protection of reputation.

Through practical examples and case-law analysis, the training further encouraged reflection on the importance of proportionality and judicial reasoning when adjudicating cases involving competing rights and interests. Particular attention was paid to ensuring that judicial decisions safeguard both freedom of expression as a cornerstone of democratic society and the legitimate protection of the rights and reputation of others.

This event marks the second in a series of capacity-building activities planned for 2026, with two additional sessions to follow in Stip and Bitola. It forms part of the continuous efforts of the PRO-FREX action to strengthen the capacities of judicial institutions and support the consistent application of European standards related to freedom of expression and the protection of human rights in North Macedonia.

This initiative is implemented by the Division for Cooperation on Freedom of Expression within the framework of the action “Protecting Freedom of Expression and of the Media in North Macedonia” (PRO-FREX), under the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”.

Gostivar, North Macedonia 26 May 2026
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The action ‘Protecting freedom of expression and of the media in North Macedonia’ (PRO-FREX) enables the beneficiary institutions and civil society organisations in North Macedonia to progress towards meeting their reform agendas in the field of freedom of expression and freedom of media, in line with the European standards.

The action is implemented within the joint programme of the European Union and Council of Europe Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye running from 2023 to 2026 and aims to contribute to an improved environment for the exercise, in particular by journalists and media actors, of their rights of freedom of expression, in a more pluralistic and safer media environment, in line with the standards as set by Article 10 of the European Convention of Human Rights.

What are the goals and objectives of the action?

  • to promote freedom of expression and freedom of the media and to improve the application of European standards in the field.
  • to enhance the protection of journalists and contribute to the creation of an enabling, safer and more pluralistic media environment.
  • to strengthen the skills and knowledge of the actors who are responsible for applying the standards on freedom of expression as part of their daily work.

Who benefits from the action?

  • independent state bodies in the field of media regulation (the Agency for Audio and Audio-visual Media Services) and access to information and protection of information (the Agency for Protection of the Right to Free Access to Public Information and the Personal Data Protection Agency).

  • associations of journalists and media actors in North Macedonia.

  • professionals such as judges, prosecutors, police officers, lawyers, broadcasters, journalists, other media actors.
  • the people of North Macedonia.

How does the action work?

  • by providing legal advice to improve the alignment of legal and regulatory frameworks to the relevant European standards;
  • by providing research and policy support to institutions and civil society organisations in the field;
  • by raising awareness among duty bearers and rights holders of the relevant European standards;
  • by offering capacity-building for the various professional categories, anchored in the European standards and the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR);
  • by facilitating regional dialogue and exchange of good practices, in synergy with the regional action.

What do we expect to achieve?

  • The legal framework will be improved and the judicial application of the European standards on freedom of expression, access to information, data protection and protection of journalists will be enhanced;
  • the Media Regulatory Authority, the Personal Data Protection Agency, the Agency for Protection of the Right to Free Access to Public Information, and the public broadcaster implement changes in their policies and practices in line with European standards;
  • Journalists’ safety will be strengthened in terms of addressing threats and attacks, as a result of the established domestic legal mechanisms to protect freedom of expression, in line with European standards.

What is the budget of the action?

  • The total budget of the action is 680,000 EUR
  • The budget allocated to the overall Horizontal Facility programme amounts to ca. 41 Million EUR (85% funded by the European Union, 15% by the Council of Europe).

How to get more information?

 

About Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye

The “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye 2023-2026” is a joint initiative of the European Union and the Council of Europe that enables the Western Balkans’ Beneficiaries and Türkiye to meet their reform agendas in the fields of human rights, rule of law, and democracy and to comply with the European standards, which is also a priority for the EU enlargement process.


 

PROJECT CONTACTS

Ana Funa                                     Project Assistant                        +389 2 3100 336                     contact