The Network for Protection against Discrimination requests from the Assembly of RNM to start a transparent and accountable procedure for the election of professional, experienced and non-partisan persons for members of the Commission for Prevention and Protection against Discrimination who meet the requirements under Article 17 of the Law on Prevention and Protection against Discrimination.
The announcement for election of members of the Commission for Prevention and Protection against Discrimination was published in the “Official Gazette no. 279/2020”on 24 November 2020 and lasts 30 days from its publication, i.e. until 24 December 2020.
Faced with the non-transparent election of party and non-professional staff for members in the past two terms of the Commission, the Network for Protection against Discrimination sends a public appeal to the Assembly of RNM to start: transparent procedure for the election of members of the Commission who meet the conditions and to continuously inform the citizens, the citizens’ associations and the media about the course of the procedure. After the announcement, the Assembly, in order to inform the public, it is necessary to make a series of steps that are prerequisites for conducting an accountable and fair selection procedure, taking into account the quality and experience of the selected candidates.
We ask the Assembly to conduct a public debate as soon as possible after the announcement, at which the candidates for members of the Commission will be presented, while the associations, media and other interested parties will have the opportunity to ask questions to the candidates and discuss their choice. Hence, we request the Assembly to publish the biographies of the registered candidates on the website of the Assembly of the RNM, within a minimum of seven days before the public hearing; live broadcast on the parliamentary TV channel of the public debate, i.e. the hearing / interviewing of the candidates who applied for membership.
Additionally, referring to Article 16 Paragraph 5 of the LPPD according to which the members of the Commission should reflect the composition of society as a whole, the Network for Protection against Discrimination requires the Assembly to apply the principles of adequate representation of all social groups, the principle of adequate and equitable representation of members of communities and gender-balanced participation and selection of persons who are in no way affiliated with political parties.
We emphasize that the independent Commission for Prevention and Protection against Discrimination is a prerequisite for ensuring the legal security of citizens and an international standard in protection against discrimination in accordance with the internationally prescribed criteria for national institutions.
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23 December 2020