Community Center of the Municipality of Struga is an organization that actively advocates and promotes active civic participation to promote local democracy in the municipality of Struga and the southwestern region. The particular important aspects for the Community Center of the Municipality of Struga are the opinion of the citizens and their involvement in the democratic processes at the local level, but also in the process of EU accession viewed through the prism of local involvement.
Public perception can play a key role in the country’s most important process on the road to EU accession. However, citizens have rather limited knowledge and information about what exactly the EU accession process means and what are the tasks that a country needs to fulfil in order to join the EU. The lack of an authentic, inclusive debate has led to superficial and incomplete information for citizens, as well as a lack of accessible and objective EU data. In this way, the citizens, those whose lives will be most affected by EU accession, are left out.
Chapter 23 – Judiciary and fundamental rights, on the other hand, is the most important chapter in the EU accession process, but it is still insufficiently or minimally presented to the public. At the same time, there are not enough analyzes that reflect the public perception and knowledge of the citizens in the municipalities of Struga, Ohrid, Debar and Kičevo. The research and activities conducted so far refer to the previous processes carried out by the country on the road to the EU.
The project “Public perception analysis of the EU accession process – with a focus on Chapter 23” implemented by the Community Center of the Municipality of Struga aims to determine the perception of citizens in the four municipalities on the road to EU accession and to provide information on reform processes and the benefits of EU membership.
Through the activities of this project, the knowledge of the citizens about this process will be measured, but also open, comprehensive dialogue with the citizens regarding the integration of the Republic of North Macedonia in the EU will be provided. The information obtained from the conducted research is placed in a publication that will enable the citizens to build their position on the country’s European perspective.
“Public perception analysis of the EU accession process – with a focus on Chapter 23” is one of the 15 projects of civil society organizations fully supported by FOSM to implement activities that will contribute to a better understanding of the EU accession process of the Republic of North Macedonia.
For more information about the work of the Community Center of the Municipality of Struga as well as the activities of the project, visit their website.
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12 August 2020