Government asks Venice Commission for urgent opinion on judicial exam model
Venice Commission rapporteurs will meet institutions, deans and student groups and observe demonstrations of the written and oral exam.
The Government has decided to request an urgent opinion from the Venice Commission on the proposed model for the judicial exam, citing the need for an independent international expert assessment of whether the plan aligns with the Constitution, international legal instruments and European standards.
Planned meetings and live demonstrations
Government officials say rapporteurs from the Venice Commission will meet with representatives of the relevant state institutions, parliamentary political parties, the deans of the five law faculties and student organisations to gather views and clarifications.
Practical demonstrations of the exam format are scheduled: the written part will be shown at the Appellate Court in Skopje, while the oral part will be demonstrated at the Ministry of Justice.
The decision follows opposition from students and law faculties to the Ministry of Justice proposal that the theoretical part be taken in Albanian while the practical part would be in Macedonian.
Faculty representatives have also requested that, in addition to Albanian, the exam be offered in Turkish and English to accommodate broader linguistic needs.
Officials say the Venice Commission’s review and the planned on-site demonstrations should provide an external assessment to help resolve the outstanding disputes over the exam format and languages.
Photo: press material from the event
