Macedonia's anti‑discrimination commission rules workplace harassment in Rom‑Albanian dispute

The Commission for Prevention and Protection from Discrimination (KSPD) in North Macedonia concluded that a workplace incident on 26 November 2025 constituted racial harassment. A Rom employee filed a complaint after his Albanian supervisor called him “Cigan” during the installation of fire‑proof doors in Tetovo. The supervisor responded with the slur “Shiptar”, shouted vulgar insults, threatened the worker, and continued verbal abuse while the employee was driving back to Skopje.

KSPD’s investigation found both parties used offensive language and that the supervisor’s conduct breached anti‑discrimination law. The firm issued internal disciplinary warnings to both the employee and the supervisor and posted a new workplace harassment protection regulation on its notice board. The commission has communicated its findings to the company and urged compliance with anti‑harassment measures.

The case highlights ongoing ethnic tensions in Macedonian workplaces and the role of the national anti‑discrimination body in addressing such disputes.