Skopje, 26 January 2024 (MIA) — The top three most transparent, accessible, integrous, and efficient government institutions in 2023 were the Ministry of Defense, the Government, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, according to recently published findings of the Assessment of Good Governmance of the Executive Power in North Macedonia and the Region done by the Metamorphosis Foundation.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs in a press release, institutions were ranked on an Openness Index, which looked at their transparency, accessibility, integrity, and efficiency, each of them measuring the openness of a different branch of governance.

The Ministry of Defense met the Openness Index criteria 89.72 percent; the Government met the criteria 79.14 percent; and the Ministry of Internal Affairs met the criteria 78.9 percent, the release notes.

"This shows exceptional transparency of the Republic of North Macedonia's institutions compared to the past and compared to the institutions in the region, where ministries meet less than half of the criteria: Montenegro 37.40 percent, Serbia 51.48 percent, Bosnia and Herzegovina 37.4 percent," the release says.

"Transparency is an extremely important factor in the implementation of anti-corruption policies," the release adds. "The proactivity of the institutions makes it possible that citizens, civil society organizations and media representatives receive information on the work of institutions more easily, quickly and efficiently."

The release also elaborates on the Openness Index's four aspects demonstrating good governance.

"Accessibility relates to the extent to which the right of access to information is guaranteed by law and in practice as well as the quality of the mechanisms for inclusion and consultations during the policy-making processes.

"Efficiency is seen through the institutions’ commitment to learn from the ongoing processes and to improve them through established monitoring, evaluation, and learning systems.

"Transparency is evaluated through the public availability of organizational information, the budget, and public procurement procedures.

"Integrity is assessed on the basis of mechanisms to prevent conflicts of interest and to regulate lobbying as well as the availability of a code of ethics that guidees and sanction the behaviour of civil servants and the public administration," it notes. mr/