LEGAL RESPONSES TO COVID-19 IN NORTH MACEDONIA

Abstract

COVID-19 has posed unprecedented challenge not only for health system, but also for legal system all over the world. This paper analyzes the legal challenges, North Macedonia faced because of COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. When the pandemic started, the Parliament of North Macedonia was dissolved and pre-term elections were called. The President of the Republic proclaimed state of emergency. The interim Government was challenged to respond efficiently to the pandemic and its consequences, by using minimal restrictions of human rights. The paper analyzes the constitutional frame regulating the state of emergency as well as the legal measures that affected human rights in North Macedonia during the effort of balancing the values of constitutionalism with the need of efficient measures to deal with the pandemic. Also, the paper analyzes the decisions of the Constitutional court of North Macedonia on the acts connected with the state of emergency proclaimed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.