North Macedonia judicial and rule of law challenges

Overview

North Macedonia is facing significant challenges regarding its judicial efficiency and the rule of law. Annual reports for 2025 indicate a massive backlog in the court system, with 134,610 unresolved cases remaining at year-end. Despite processing over 540,000 new cases, the total number of unresolved matters decreased by only 119. Judicial accountability remains a concern, as the Judicial Council processed 425 citizen complaints, though only approximately three percent were deemed well-founded.

These systemic issues are reflected in the 2026 Rule of Law Index by the World Justice Project, where North Macedonia fell to 65th place out of 143 states. The decline is attributed to weaknesses in anti-corruption efforts, judicial oversight of executive power, and the length of legal proceedings. Specific vulnerabilities include low rankings in law enforcement and anti-corruption, exacerbated by staffing shortages in courts and prosecutor offices.

Entities

North Macedonia · Judicial Council of North Macedonia · World Justice Project

Timeline

1 day ago

[POLITICS] 2 sources
North Macedonia declines in Rule of Law Index
North Macedonia has dropped to 65th place in the 2026 Rule of Law Index, facing significant challenges in anti-corruption, judicial efficiency, and executive oversight.
5 days ago

[POLITICS] 2 sources
North Macedonia courts report over 134,000 unresolved cases in 2025
North Macedonian courts ended 2025 with 134,610 unresolved cases. Only 13 of 425 citizen complaints to the Judicial Council were found well-founded.

Sources

almakos.com · shenja.tv · skopjeinfo.mk · utrinskivesnik.mk