Independent experts endorse draft geology and mining laws, says Sanja Bozhinovska
Ministry says external review found the draft acts modern and broadly aligned with EU practices.
Independent experts have delivered a positive assessment of North Macedonia’s draft laws on geology and mining, the Ministry of Energy, Mining and Mineral Resources announced after a meeting with the reviewers.
The review concluded that the two draft acts are modern, comprehensive and largely aligned with European standards and international best practice. As part of the expert work, a comparative analysis was carried out with legislation from six EU member states — Austria, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Finland and Croatia — and found that the proposed Macedonian model is in line with relevant European practices.
Who prepared the review
The independent revision was prepared by Kristi Dizni Brukner, an international expert on mining policy and legislation, and Prof. Dr. Vjecheslav Bohanek, a regional academic and technical expert with direct experience in Croatian mining legislation. The work was done in cooperation with the civic organization Nov Tret Pat and included representatives of the Ministry, the Geological Survey and the Energy and Mineral Resources Inspectorate.
Energy Minister Sanja Bozhinovska said the government aims for more than a formal alignment with EU law. "Our goal is not merely formal alignment with European legislation. We want to bring a law that will be functional, applicable and modern, a law that will create clear rules and legal certainty, enable the development of the mining sector and responsible investments, but at the same time will guarantee that the public interest, citizens, the environment and local communities are not put in the background," she told participants at the meeting.
According to the ministry, the expert review is an important step toward finalising the drafts because it offers additional technical verification and a comparison with the experiences of EU member states. Work on finalising the proposals will continue with the stated aim that the final laws be contemporary and harmonised with European standards.
Photo: press material from the event
