Dobrila Kacarska, the President of Macedonia’s Constitutional Court, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on behalf of the Court, officially establishing the Balkan Constitutional Courts Forum. This forum includes the constitutional courts of Bulgaria, Albania, Montenegro, Kosovo, and Turkey.

The primary objectives of the Forum encompass promoting regular and structured dialogue among the participating Constitutional Courts, fostering the exchange of legal expertise, best practices, and jurisprudence among them, and supporting capacity building and professional development of judges and court staff. Additionally, the Forum aims to enhance capacity building in the realm of communication with the public.

According to the Memorandum, the Forum members will convene in annual meetings and organize various events such as conferences, seminars, trainings, and workshops to facilitate discussions on constitutional law and adjudication. The Forum may also establish thematic working groups or expert committees to focus on specific areas of constitutional law and share research, analysis, and opinions.

The inaugural meeting of the Balkan Constitutional Courts Forum took place in Sofia, where representatives of the constitutional courts from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Romania, and Croatia also participated. During this meeting, the participants exchanged experiences related to citizens’ access to constitutional justice in their respective countries and constitutions.

The forum in Sofia was attended by high-profile individuals, including Koen Lenaerts, President of the Court of Justice of the European Union; Marko Bošnjak, Vice President of the European Court of Human Rights; and Věra Jourová, Vice President of the European Commission.

The Macedonian delegation at this event included Dobrila Kacarska, President of the Constitutional Court; Judge Elizabeta Dukovska; the Secretary of the Court, Aleksandar Lazov; and the Court’s spokeswoman, Hristina Belovska.