North Macedonia’s Ministry of Justice sends new draft Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure Code to the European Commission

The draft Criminal Code and draft Criminal Procedure Code have been sent to the European Commission for its opinion, the Ministry of Justice announced. The move is part of a comprehensive reform of criminal legislation and efforts to align it with European standards.

According to the Ministry, the new Criminal Code is being drafted after three decades. Together with the new Criminal Procedure Code, it aims to make the fight against crime and corruption more effective, make judicial proceedings fairer, improve protection for victims and increase legal certainty for citizens.

The Ministry stressed that the reform will not end with the adoption of the laws: what matters is their implementation and the results citizens should experience. The proposed legal framework should enable effective investigations, fair trials, equal application of the law and accountability without exceptions.

Work on the new Criminal Code began in 2019. From 2020 to 2026, the working group led by Academician Vllado Kambovski held extensive consultations with representatives of the judiciary, the academic community, relevant institutions and civil society organizations.

The Ministry of Justice said the proposed text incorporates 33 relevant European Union directives and that more than 50 opinions and proposals were considered during the consultations.

Work on the new Criminal Procedure Code proceeded in parallel. The 25-member expert group led by Gordana Lažetiq completed the text in October 2026. According to the Ministry, the proposal provides for alignment with 25 relevant European directives and standards.