North Macedonia Civil Service Exam cheat sheet

The Constitution of North Macedonia was adopted on 17 November 1991; the Ohrid Framework Agreement amendments were promulgated in 2001 and 2005.

Article 8 of the Constitution sets out the fundamental values of the constitutional order: basic freedoms and rights, rule of law, separation of powers, and equitable representation of citizens belonging to all communities.

The Assembly (Sobranie) is unicameral with 123 members elected for four-year terms; 120 are elected proportionally, and 3 are elected by majority vote in the diaspora constituencies.

The President is elected by direct popular vote for a five-year term, may serve at most two terms, and is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

The Government is headed by the Prime Minister; the Assembly elects the Government by majority vote of the total number of members, and the Government is responsible to the Assembly.

The Constitutional Court has nine judges elected by the Assembly for nine-year terms, and it decides on the conformity of laws with the Constitution, among other competences.

The Ohrid Framework Agreement established the principle of equitable representation and the double-majority voting procedure for laws affecting culture, language, education, and local self-government.

The President of the Assembly becomes interim President if the office of President becomes vacant; new elections must be held within 40 days.

The Law on General Administrative Procedure (LGAP) applies to all administrative bodies when they decide on rights, obligations, or interests of natural and legal persons.

Administrative procedure is initiated by a request from a party or ex officio when required by law to protect the public interest.

A first-instance administrative decision must contain: the name of the body, the case number, the operative part, the reasons, the legal remedy, and the signature of the authorised official.

The deadline for a first-instance decision is generally 30 days from the submission of a complete request, unless a special law provides otherwise.

An appeal against a first-instance decision is filed within 15 days of its delivery, unless a special law provides otherwise; the appeal is submitted to the first-instance body, which may replace the decision.

Administrative silence occurs when the body fails to decide within the prescribed period; the party may then file an appeal to the second-instance body or initiate an administrative dispute.

An administrative dispute is brought before the Administrative Court within 30 days of the delivery of the final administrative act or of the expiry of the deadline for administrative silence.

A decision that is final and enforceable may be annulled or revoked only under the conditions and by the procedure set out in the LGAP; res judicata protects final decisions.

The Law on Civil Servants (LCS) governs the status, rights, duties, and responsibilities of civil servants in state administration bodies.

Civil servants are selected through public competition based on merit, equal access, and professional qualifications, except for positions that are filled by internal or temporary appointment under the law.

The civil service is based on the principles of professionalism, impartiality, political neutrality, accountability, and transparency.

A civil servant must avoid conflicts of interest, must not accept gifts that could influence the performance of official duties, and must report any conflict of interest to the superior.

Disciplinary sanctions for civil servants include a written warning, a fine, suspension from work, and termination of employment, depending on the gravity of the violation.

The Code of Ethics for Civil Servants sets out standards of conduct, including integrity, respect for citizens, confidentiality, and responsible use of public resources.

The Civil Servants Agency is responsible for the professional training, examination, and career development of civil servants.

The Budget of North Macedonia is adopted by the Assembly for a fiscal year beginning 1 January and ending 31 December.

The Ministry of Finance prepares the draft budget and submits it to the Government, which proposes it to the Assembly, generally by 1 November for the following year.

Budgetary users must submit their financial plans to the Ministry of Finance and may not incur expenditures exceeding the approved appropriations.

The Public Procurement Law transposes EU directives; it requires transparency, equal treatment, non-discrimination, and proportionality in awarding public contracts.

Procurement thresholds determine the procedure: small-value procurement, simplified procurement, and open procedure; the open procedure is the default for contracts above the EU thresholds.

The State Audit Office audits the execution of the budget and the use of public funds by budgetary users and public enterprises.

The Public Procurement Bureau monitors the application of the Public Procurement Law and maintains the electronic public procurement system (e-procurement).

North Macedonia applied for EU membership in 2004, was granted candidate status in 2005, and opened accession negotiations in July 2022.

The Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) between North Macedonia and the EU entered into force in 2004 and provides the legal framework for political dialogue, trade, and approximation of laws.

The Copenhagen criteria (1993) require: stable institutions guaranteeing democracy, rule of law, human rights and respect for minorities; a functioning market economy; and the ability to assume the obligations of membership (acquis communautaire).

The acquis communautaire is divided into 35 negotiating chapters; North Macedonia conducts negotiations chapter by chapter.

The EU law principle of primacy means that EU law prevails over conflicting national law within the scope of EU competences.

The principle of direct effect allows individuals to rely on certain EU provisions before national courts, provided the provision is clear, precise, and unconditional.

The EU enlargement process includes the rule of law as a fundamental precondition, assessed through the Chapter 23 (Judiciary and Fundamental Rights) and Chapter 24 (Justice, Freedom and Security) benchmarks.

The Constitution guarantees fundamental human rights and freedoms, including equality before the law, prohibition of discrimination, and freedom of expression and association.

The Law on Prevention and Protection against Discrimination prohibits discrimination based on sex, race, color, ethnic origin, language, religion, political or other belief, national or social origin, property, birth, disability, age, sexual orientation, and other grounds.

The Commission for Prevention and Protection against Discrimination is an independent body that receives complaints and issues opinions and recommendations.

The principle of equal opportunities requires the removal of barriers and the adoption of temporary special measures to achieve substantive equality.

The Law on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men promotes gender equality and requires gender-balanced representation in public bodies.

The European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) is directly applicable in North Macedonia, and citizens may apply to the European Court of Human Rights after exhausting domestic remedies.

The Ombudsman (People's Advocate) protects citizens' rights against the actions of state administration and other public bodies.

Legal norms are general, abstract, and binding rules of conduct that are enforced by the state; they are distinguished from moral and social norms by their enforceability.

The hierarchy of legal acts in North Macedonia: the Constitution is supreme; laws and ratified international treaties must conform to it; secondary legislation (decrees, rulebooks) must conform to laws.

A legal norm consists of a hypothesis (conditions), a disposition (rule of conduct), and a sanction (consequences of violation).

Legal interpretation methods include grammatical, logical, systematic, historical, and teleological interpretation; the teleological method seeks the purpose of the norm.

Analogy is permitted in civil law when a matter is not regulated by law, but analogy is prohibited in criminal law and in provisions restricting rights.

Legal relations arise between subjects of law (natural and legal persons) and are based on legal facts, which may be events or human actions.

The rule of law requires that state power be exercised according to law, that laws be prospective and public, and that independent courts resolve disputes.

The Criminal Code of North Macedonia defines the general conditions of criminal liability: the act must be prescribed by law, unlawful, culpable (intent or negligence), and committed by a responsible person.

Criminal sanctions include punishments (imprisonment, fine, and other alternatives), security measures, and educational measures for juveniles.

The statute of limitations for criminal prosecution depends on the prescribed penalty; for the most serious crimes, prosecution and execution of sentence are not subject to limitation.

Civil law governs property and personal relations between natural and legal persons; the Law on Obligations regulates contracts, torts, and unjust enrichment.

A valid contract requires the parties' capacity, a lawful and possible subject matter, and a lawful basis (cause); consent must be free of defects such as fraud, mistake, or duress.

Ownership is the right to possess, use, and dispose of a thing, subject to limitations imposed by law or the rights of others.

The Civil Code and the Law on Obligations provide remedies for breach of contract: performance, damages, and termination.

Public administration in North Macedonia comprises state administration bodies (ministries, independent bodies, and administrative organizations) and local self-government units.

The Law on Organization and Operation of State Administration Bodies defines the types of bodies: ministries, independent bodies, and administrative organizations.

The Government directs the work of state administration bodies and may establish temporary bodies, commissions, and working groups.

Local self-government is exercised through municipalities; the City of Skopje is a separate unit of local self-government with its own statute.

The principles of public administration reform include: professionalization, depoliticization, accountability, transparency, and citizen-oriented service delivery.

The Public Administration Reform Strategy (2023-2030) sets strategic goals for public administration reform, aligned with EU accession requirements.

Human resource management in public administration includes recruitment, performance appraisal, training, and career development based on merit.

Administrative supervision includes control by higher administrative bodies, inspection services, and the Ombudsman's oversight.