North Macedonia and Albania: Two Balkan Paths Toward the West
For nearly two decades, North Macedonia and Albania have walked parallel, though not identical, roads toward EU integration. Their foreign policy priorities are shaped by shared goals, EU accession, NATO cooperation, and alignment with democratic norms, but their individual strategies reflect different historical burdens, domestic politics, and geopolitical calculations.[1] The Brussels Horizon The European Union [...] What makes the rule of law resilient to threats and crises? A three-day event by the Institute for Democracy in Skopje
What are the factors that make the rule of law resilient to threats and crises? Can countries with fragile institutions emerge stronger from serious political and democratic challenges? Does the European Union accession process truly promote resilient institutions, or does it merely encourage short-term performativity? These questions were the focus of the three-day conference organized [...] Мonitoring report: Аction plans Common Regional Market (CRM) – Regional digital area and Green Agenda – Decarbonisation reference in Reform Agenda
The Institute for Democracy's latest report offers a focused overview of North Macedonia’s progress in implementing its commitments under the Action Plan for the Common Regional Market (CRM) and the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, specifically in the areas of digitalisation and decarbonisation. Key findings from the report: Digitalisation 99.48% of the population has [...] Reforms for Good Governance: How Can We Earn the “Rewards” from the Growth Plan?
In 2023, the European Union introduced the Growth Plan—a new strategic initiative and tool aimed at accelerating the European integration process of the Western Balkans countries. This plan, functioning as an incentive mechanism, offers candidate countries an easier opportunity to implement fundamental reforms and swiftly meet the political, economic, and legal criteria for EU membership, […]
EU Integration in 2024: From European dream to Macedonian reality
Since 2016, the Institute for Democracy (IDSCS) and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS) have been conducting a national survey with a representative sample of issues relevant to the integration process of North Macedonia into the European Union (EU). The survey includes questions that are repeated every year in order to identify questions and trends over […]
Analysis of public opinion on North Macedonia’s accession to the European Union (2014-2024)
This public opinion analysis on the Macedonian process of accession to the European Union conducted in 2024 is a continuation of the research done in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2023. It applies the same theoretical and analytical model of the determinants of support for North Macedonia’s EU membership, and at the […]
Intersecting Paths: Strategic Autonomy, Enlargement
The paper “Intersecting Paths: Strategic Autonomy, Enlargement“, explores the evolution of a more strategic European Union (EU), with a particular focus on how this shift is understood and perceived both within key EU member states and in the Western Balkan countries. The objective is to help to better understand the differing national perspectives on what […]
The success stories of IDSCS in 2024!
This past year of 2024 was dynamic and challenging, but at the same time inspiring for the entire team of the Institute for Democracy “Societas Civilis”. Our activities focused on the most important issues such as the development of democracy, good governance, fight against corruption, support for our country towards EU integration and fostering of […]
Political Thought No.69
Our latest issue of "Political Thought" features a collection of articles exploring the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on society. The International Editorial Board has compiled a selection of texts covering various current topics - from how new technologies are changing work and education, to how democracies need to adapt to this rapid technological development: [...]