Skopje, 24 June 2025 (MIA) — The government has passed a draft law on equitable ethnic representation in hiring governmental workers that should prevent the fraud, influence peddling, corruption and clientelism that was said to plague the 'Balancer' program designed to promote ethnic diversity through affirmative action in public sector employment, which the Constitutional Court eventually abolished as unconstitutional.

The bill will be submitted to the Venice Commission first and then to Parliament, according to Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski at a press conference Tuesday held together with First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Environment and Physical Planning Izet Mexhiti.

According to Mickoski, it marks "a new chapter of professionalism in the public sector at the central and at the local levels."

"This law has a single, clear goal: To turn the administration into a true public service built on merit, knowledge, professionalism and integrity," he said.

"Unlike those times when your party membership and ethnic affiliation were more important than your degree and your competence, we are setting a new standard," Mickoski said.

"It is our duty, after so many years of abuse, to turn our backs to the past, building institutions that do not support the obedient ones but value the competent ones," he said, adding that employees should be able to get ahead in their careers without having to "belong to the right group or have political ties."

"When the institutions are fair and efficient, all citizens get better service," Mickoski said, adding that this inspired greater trust in the state and between ethnic communities.

He said the law would guarantee that all ethnic communities would be equitably represented and this was especially important for members of the country's Albanian community.

"I congratulate Worth It and all other ethnic community representatives," Mickoski said. "This is a very important law for the Albanians but also for all others because it is a law that will stimulate and give people a chance while keeping quality in mind."

In response to a reporter's question if job applicants would need to submit paperwork proving their ethnic affiliation, the prime minister said any applicant needed to provide a personal identification document.

According to Deputy PM Mexhiti, the adoption of the bill was a landmark moment. He said this was the first time that equitable ethnic representation as a constitutional category dating back to 2001 had received "a clear and complete" law.

"This belated but much needed step removes political meddling," Mexhiti said. "Adopting this draft law is proof that when there is a political will, there is an outcome.

"This decision is the government's signal for us to build a public administration that will be more functional, more fair and more represented," he said. mr/