Local inspectors work at the front line of everyday law enforcement – from construction to environmental protection. But is the legal framework governing their work sufficiently clear, coherent, and functional? That is the question addressed by the policy recommendations document “Analysis of the Legal Framework for Local Inspection Oversight,” developed by the Institute for Sociological, Political and Juridical Research (ISPJR) within the project “Local Inspectors Under the Lens,” implemented in partnership with the Institute for Democracy “Societas Civilis” – Skopje (IDSCS), with support from the Swiss Government through Civica Mobilitas.
Key recommendations from the analysis:
- Through the Collegium of Directors of State Inspectorates, the modalities for cooperation between state and local inspectorates must be more clearly defined and operationalized – joint inspections, information exchange, shared databases, and standardization of work.
- The law should regulate the Collegium’s capacity to provide advisory opinions on resolving legal dilemmas regarding conflicts of competence between local and state inspectorates.
- The minimum number and types of inspections that must exist within each LSGU should be defined by law, covering construction, communal activities, education, environment, transport, and protection, with the state primarily responsible for funding and staffing.
- Through inter-municipal cooperation, neighboring municipalities should conclude agreements to establish joint local inspection services.
- A single unified inspection supervision system should be considered, with annual programs, monthly plans, and completed inspection reports, enabling coordinated action by state and local inspectors.
- Annual reports and work plans should be digitized and integrated into a system with a unified risk assessment methodology.
- A standardized control mechanism for the performance of local inspections across all LSGU competences should be envisaged, following the model of the Commission established under the Law on Inspection Supervision in the Environment (2022).
- The abolition of the inspector licensing system should be reconsidered, and the need for its reintroduction assessed, allowing differentiation based on the complexity and responsibility of inspection tasks.
- The legal status of inspectors should be harmonized, given that they are currently simultaneously subject to three different laws. The adoption of a lex specialis law specifically governing inspection officers should be explored.
- Standardized, institutionalized mechanisms for knowledge transfer and training of local inspectors should be carefully elaborated and delivered through the Academy for Professional Development and Training of Administrative Officials.
Read the full analysis:
Analysis of the Legal Framework for Local Inspection Oversight
This document was prepared within the framework of the project “Local Inspectors Under the Lens: Strengthening Legality and Responsibility in Local Inspections,” implemented by the Institute for Democracy “Societas Civilis” – Skopje (IDSCS), in partnership with the Institute for Sociological, Political and Juridical Research (ISPJR) at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, supported by the Swiss Government through Civica Mobilitas.
Civica Mobilitas is a project of the Swiss Government, implemented by MCIC, NIRAS, and FCG. The opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Swiss Government, Civica Mobilitas, or the implementing organizations.
