North Macedonia Civil Service Exam key terms

A body of nine judges elected by the Assembly that reviews whether laws and other regulations conform to the Constitution and protects individual rights against unconstitutional acts.

The unicameral legislature of 120 members elected for four years; it adopts laws, the budget, ratifies international treaties and elects judges, the Government and other officeholders.

The executive body headed by the Prime Minister, composed of ministers; it proposes legislation, implements laws and directs the work of state administration bodies.

The principle that all acts of state bodies must comply first with the Constitution and then with statutes; unconstitutional or unlawful acts may be annulled in prescribed proceedings.

The constitutional organisation of state authority into legislative, executive and judicial branches that check and balance one another rather than concentrating power in a single body.

An individual legal act issued by an administrative body deciding on the rights, obligations or interests of a specific person in an administrative matter, subject to appeal and judicial review.

The set of statutory rules governing how an authority establishes facts, hears the parties and issues a decision in an administrative matter, under the Law on General Administrative Procedure.

Court proceedings in which a party challenges the lawfulness of a final administrative act before the Administrative Court, which may annul the act and remit the matter.

A core procedural principle requiring the authority to give the party an opportunity to state facts and evidence before a decision affecting them is adopted.

The party's entitlement to have an administrative decision reviewed by a higher body within a statutory deadline, typically fifteen days from notification, before seeking judicial protection.

A state administration body established by law to perform administrative tasks within a defined policy field, headed by a minister who answers to the Government and Assembly.

A person employed in a state body under the civil service law, selected through public competition and performing public duties with professional independence and accountability.

A written set of ethical standards binding public officials, covering integrity, impartiality, conflict of interest, confidentiality and respectful treatment of citizens.

A situation where a public official's private interest could improperly influence the performance of official duties; it must be declared and managed, often by withdrawal from the matter.

The annual financial plan adopted by the Assembly estimating revenues and authorising expenditures of state bodies for a fiscal year beginning on 1 January.

The twelve-month accounting period for which the budget is adopted and executed; in North Macedonia it coincides with the calendar year.

Money collected by the state through taxes, contributions, fees and other charges that finances public expenditure and is planned in the annual budget.

The legally regulated process by which contracting authorities purchase goods, works and services using public funds, applying transparency, equal treatment and competition principles.

A written agreement concluded between a contracting authority and the selected economic operator after a lawful procurement procedure, defining price, deadlines and performance obligations.

The requirement that procurement procedures, award criteria and decisions be public and documented so that bidders and the public can verify fair treatment.

The accumulated body of EU law, including treaties, regulations, directives and court judgments, that a candidate country must transpose and implement before accession.

The analytical examination in which the European Commission and a candidate country review alignment with the acquis chapter by chapter, identifying gaps and benchmarks.

One of the thirty-five thematic clusters of the accession negotiations, each opened and closed only when the candidate meets the benchmarks set for that policy area.

The treaty-based process by which a state becomes an EU member after meeting the Copenhagen criteria and completing negotiations, ratified by all member states.

An EU legislative act binding member states as to the result to be achieved while leaving the choice of form and methods to national implementation measures.

The principle that EU law prevails over conflicting national law, so that national courts and authorities must set aside incompatible provisions when applying EU rules.

Unequal treatment of a person based on a protected ground such as sex, ethnicity, religion, disability or age, which lacks objective and reasonable justification.

A neutral rule or practice that puts persons sharing a protected characteristic at a particular disadvantage compared with others, unless objectively justified.

The policy goal that all persons have fair access to employment, education and public services, supported by measures removing barriers and redressing past disadvantage.

The guarantee that anyone whose rights are violated has access to an independent body, usually a court, able to grant a binding and enforceable decision.

A generally binding rule of conduct adopted in a prescribed procedure that regulates behaviour and is backed by state enforcement.

The ranked order of legal sources in which lower-ranking acts must conform to higher-ranking ones, from the Constitution and ratified treaties down to bylaws.

The complete, systematically organised set of legal norms in force in a state, understood as a coherent whole rather than isolated statutes.

The principle that public authority is exercised only under law, with clear rules, independent courts and accountability of officials, protecting citizens from arbitrary power.

An unlawful act defined by statute as criminal, committed with the prescribed mental element, for which the perpetrator may be sentenced by a court.

A penalty imposed by a court on a person found guilty, ranging from a fine to imprisonment, aimed at retribution, deterrence and rehabilitation.

The branch of government exercised by independent courts that decide disputes and impose sanctions, bound only by the Constitution and statutes.