Macedonia: the Ohrid Peace Accord and its problematic implementation

Abstract

Using already existing data on the Macedonian political system and, particularly, the immediate and less immediate causes of the country’s interethnic conflict, this study analyzes the political and legal/constitutional solutions by means of which one has attempted to end the armed conflict that began in spring of 2001 with the uprisingof the so-called UCK in various areas in the Northwest of the country. It provides a detailed analysis of the content of the peace accord reached by the country’s principal political forces at Ohrid in August of that year and reviews the process of legislative and constitutional reforms set out to implement it giving particular attention to constitutional reforms, the system of local government, and electoral legislation. Finally, one draws a number of conclusions that permit an assessment of what the armed conflict and the subsequent peace process have meant for Macedonia’s political system and peaceful coexistence among ethnic groups.

Keywords

• Macedonia
• acuerdos políticos
• Constitución
• sistema político