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World Bank’s Country Assistance Strategy in Macedonia
General information about World Bank’s Country Assistance Strategy in Macedonia
The first Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) for Macedonia was prepared during 1998/99. The process was developed by the World Bank and the Macedonian Government, and it did not include public participation nor participation of non-governmental organizations or civil societies.
In 2001 Macedonia experienced difficult times with numerous conflicts which endangered the state’s security. The second Country Assistance Strategy was supposed to be prepared during that year but because of the situation, the process was delayed until suitable conditions were met and stability of the region was accomplished again. The inability to prepare the new CAS resulted with the preparation and implementation of a Transitional Support Strategy (TSS), a document meant to substitute CAS in times when CAS cannot be prepared yet with same objectives and purpose. The preparation of a TSS does not require the same conditions for the preparation of the CAS and that is why the TSS process did not include public participation. Again, citizens of Macedonia were not consulted about the strategy for their country that now came in a different form.
The TSS will be applied until the end of 2002. According to the latest information, the new CAS process should be organized in February 2003.
Conclusion
It is clear that the citizens of Macedonia did not have the chance to express their concerns about the strategy for Macedonia twice during the last 4 years.
That is why the need to organize consultation meetings and to pay special attention to the public’s opinion about the new strategy is even greater. The meetings should be organized carefully and high level of public participation should be ensured. Non-governmental organizations should be one of the key participants on these meetings. As non-governmental organizations do not represent public itself, still they carry the voice of public and public should be heard.
To read more about the CAS for Macedonia, visit this page http://www.worldbank.org.mk/strategy.htm