Skopje, 10 April 2023 (MIA) – A broad public debate on the nine proposed amendments to laws related to the construction of Corridors VIII and X-d is necessary in order to lower the risks of potential abuse and corruption, as well as of legislation whose implementation will create additional issues, which is also why they should not be adopted in a fast-track procedure, said the State Commission for the Prevention of Corruption (SCPC) on Monday.

“The SCPC deems it necessary to point out that in the 2021-2025 National Strategy for the Prevention of Corruption and Conflict of Interests, the large number of laws adopted in fast-track procedure without adequate justification was identified as one of the priority issues to be addressed in the Political System sector. Because of that, the National Strategy stressed the importance of ensuring a rational use of the mechanism for adopting laws in a fast-track procedure in Parliament, and raising the quality of the process of adopting laws by assessing the impact of the legislation in more detail,” said the SCPC.

The Commission said that the announced adoption of the amendments in fast-track procedure should be reconsidered because, it said, it undermines the basic pillars of the rule of law; it increases the risks of corruption and leaves no room for public debate, and above all it leaves no room for experts to share their positions on the contents of the legislation.

“The proposed amendments that are expected to be adopted in fast-track procedure affect several areas, including workers’ rights, the right to ownership, environmental protection and others. Therefore, a broad public debate is necessary in order to lower the risks of possible abuses, risks of corruption, as well as the risks of legislation whose implementation will create additional issues,” said the SCPC.

Photo: MIA Archive