Results and Findings of the Open Budget Survey 2025 (OBS): North Macedonia Records Stagnation in Transparency

Skopje, 2026 – New findings from the Open Budget Survey 2025 (OBS), conducted by the International Budget Partnership (IBP) in collaboration with the Center for Economic Analyses (CEA), indicate mixed results for North Macedonia. While parliamentary oversight has seen slight improvement, budget transparency and public participation remain below the regional average.

Key Indicators for 2025:

 

Main Findings of the Report

1. Stagnation in Transparency

Although there is a slight increase of transparency from 35 to 39 points, the long-term trend since 2012 points to general stagnation. North Macedonia still lags behind the regional average (52 points). Main obstacles include:

  • Failure to produce a Mid-Year Review of budget execution.

  • Delays in publishing the Fiscal Strategy.

  • The absence of a Citizens Budget, which hinders the accessibility of information for the average citizen.

2. Improved Oversight, but Greater Control Needed

The score for parliamentary oversight increased to 53 points, reflecting improvements in the budgeting process. The State Audit Office (SAO) maintains a stable and high score of 67 points, indicating continued institutional capacity for budget control.

3. Limited Public Participation

With only 9 points, North Macedonia offers very few opportunities for citizens to directly influence the budget process. Although there is minor progress in including public feedback during oversight planning, mechanisms for dialogue during the preparation and execution phases of the budget remain minimal.

Recommendations for Improvement

To strengthen budget accountability, the report for North Macedonia recommends the following steps:

  • Timeliness: Timely publication of the Fiscal Strategy.

  • New Documents: Preparation of a Mid-Year Review and a Citizens Budget.

  • Comprehensiveness: Improving reporting on fiscal risks, public debt, and multi-year projections.

  • Participation: Introducing mechanisms for citizen involvement in parliamentary debates and the budget preparation process.

See the Full Report for North Macedonia:

🔗 IBP Web Link – Country Results: North Macedonia 2025

🔗 ENG – Country Results Report OBS North Macedonia 2025

🔗 MK – Извештај за резултатите и наодите OBS 2025 Северна Македонија 

🔗 МК – Соопштение за Јавноста: Резултатите и наодите OBS 2025 Северна Македонија

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