OPENNESS OF THE MACEDONIAN STATE INSTITUTIONS AND CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN POLICIES SHAPING AND DECISIONS MAKING OF THE PUBLIC AUTHORITIES

Abstract

Citizens’ participation in political life, effective decision-making and accountability of institutions for the policies they implement are activities that are increasingly emphasized in order to increase the openness and transparency of institutions and the development of democracy in the world. This issue is becoming more and more relevant in the Republic of North Macedonia. Hence, there is a necessity for such a paper focusing on openness of institutions and the participation of citizens in the socio-political life of the country. The purpose of this paper is to assess the extent to which the citizens of the country receive timely and understandable information from their institutions and their opportunities and real participation in issues related to the rule of law and good governance, as well as influencing policies and decision-making processes. The analyzes conducted in the paper are based on primary and secondary data, and the applied methods correspond to the analyzed questions, such as: statistical method, method of analysis, method of synthesis, method of comparison etc. The findings indicate slight progress in meeting the standards and principles of open governance by institutions, involving citizens in decision-making process and the creation of public opinion and policy.