ICAO begins inspection of North Macedonia’s civil aviation after 17 years

Inspectors from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) will carry out a compliance review of North Macedonia’s civil aviation sector over the next two weeks, the Agency for Civil Aviation announced. The visit is the first such ICAO inspection in 17 years.

Independent assessment to measure conformity with international standards

The inspection was requested by the Agency for Civil Aviation and is intended to provide an independent evaluation of how well national aviation practices align with the latest international standards and regulations. Teams of international inspectors will examine procedures, documentation and operations across the civil aviation system.

The Agency said the review will identify both strengths and any shortcomings in current arrangements, with the goal of signalling where improvements are needed to raise safety and regulatory compliance.

"I believe that an independent and impartial inspection is the best way to assess how successfully we carry out our work and where we can further improve. We have an obligation and a responsibility to confront any findings openly and professionally if such are determined, because an objective understanding of the real situation is the only way to find appropriate and sustainable solutions to improve the system," said Dragi Stojanoski, Director of the Agency for Civil Aviation.

Recommendations from the ICAO team will be used as the foundation for planning follow-up actions and refining processes to further enhance safety in civil aviation in North Macedonia.

Photo: LazialeStojakovo / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)