Commission’s reports for Serbia and North Macedonia: rule of law reforms stagnate

The European Commission’s 2025 Rule of Law Reports, published on 8 July, highlights persistent challenges faced by Serbia and North Macedonia in advancing democratic reforms, combatting corruption, and ensuring judicial independence.

Covering all 27 EU member states alongside four candidate countries – Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia, the reports reveals a troubling trend. Only 18% of recommendations were fully implemented or saw significant progress in 2024, a decline from 23% in 2023. Unlike the 2024 report’s focus on legislative reforms, the 2025 edition emphasises specific higlights, such as Serbia’s Novi Sad tragedy, as evidence of systemic issues. Overall, “no progress” or “limited progress” is acknowledged on 43% of all recommendations made by the Commission over the past year.

Serbia continues to encounter significant challenges in strengthening judicial independence and combating corruption. Meanwhile, the implementation of North Macedonia’s anti-corruption strategy remains inadequate. Despite an increase in investigations and prosecutions, progress is hampered by delays in court proceedings and resource constraints.

Serbia: struggling with judicial and anti-corruption reforms

Serbia faces ongoing difficulties in strengthening judicial independence and tackling corruption. The European Commission’s report highlights deficiencies in investigations related to the tragic collapse of the railway station canopy in Novi Sad last November, which resulted in 16 deaths. The incident has become a symbol of Serbia’s weak legal and institutional framework, sparking mass protests that led to the resignation of a prime minister, but did not suffice to calm boisterous protests.

The report notes that investigations into alleged corruption linked to the incident remain incomplete, with numerous challenges in establishing records of indictments and judgments in high-level corruption cases. While the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption actively detects systemic issues, its work is limited by oversight gaps, the Commission report says.

Further, it ads that whistleblowers continue to face difficulties in exposing corruption, and exemptions from the Public Procurement Law are still widely exploited to bypass oversight mechanisms. The judiciary has made some progress in implementing constitutional reforms aimed at increasing independence, but political pressure on courts and prosecutors remains high. Transparency within the High Judicial Council needs further strengthening, and the continued vacancy of four judicial positions at the Constitutional Court raises concerns, the report says.

Media environment

Serbia adopted new media laws in June 2025 to align with EU standards; however, according to the report, concerns about the independence of the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM) persist, especially regarding delays and deficiencies in appointing new council members. Media pluralism and editorial autonomy within public broadcasters remain at risk. Transparency about media ownership, funding, and access to public information continues to be inadequate, while journalists – particularly women – face increasing risks and obstacles.

Democratic oversight and civil society

According to the report, the parliament’s effectiveness is hampered by infrequent sessions and limited debate, undermining oversight functions. The vacant positions at the Constitutional Court remain unfilled, and independent bodies responsible for fundamental rights operate under resource constraints, with inconsistent follow-up to their recommendations. Civil society organisations face mounting pressures, and government efforts to create a supportive environment for civic engagement have yet to show tangible results.

North Macedonia: judicial reforms and ongoing challenges

North Macedonia continues efforts to implement judicial reforms aimed at strengthening independence, but interference and pressure from other branches of government remain significant issues, the report on North Macedonia says. Accordingly, the recent dismissal procedure against the Chief Prosecutor exposed shortcomings in the rules governing such processes, fueling fears of politicization.

While steps have been taken to enhance transparency within the judiciary, the Commission notes that concerns persist regarding appointment decisions and legislative reforms designed to bolster judicial independence and the autonomy of the public prosecution. Financial constraints continue to hinder the judiciary’s operational autonomy, despite some recruitment efforts. Digitalization initiatives – such as case management tools – are ongoing but hampered by outdated infrastructure, leading to longer case proceedings and reduced efficiency.

According to the report, implementation of North Macedonia’s anti-corruption strategy remains insufficient. It is noted that although investigations and prosecutions have increased, delays in court proceedings and resource limitations slow progress. Amendments to the Criminal Code in 2023 have, in some cases, undermined efforts to prosecute high-level corruption. The State Commission for Prevention of Corruption focuses mainly on preventative measures but remains less active in investigations and reporting. Oversight of political finance, asset declarations, and whistleblower protections remain weak, discouraging individuals from reporting corruption. Risks are particularly high in healthcare and public procurement sectors, with political influence further complicating anti-corruption efforts.

Media and civil society

The report says that independence of the Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services has improved financially, yet appointments to its governing council are still pending. The self-regulatory Council of Media Ethics continues its work, though concerns about sustainable funding persist. The public broadcaster faces ongoing transparency and editorial independence challenges, compounded by the reintroduction of state-funded advertising, which has drawn criticism. Inconsistent application of laws on access to information hampers media transparency, the Commission notes.

Institutional reforms

Reforms to parliamentary procedures aim to improve oversight, but issues around merit-based appointments and inclusive policymaking remain. The new Constitutional Court Act has strengthened judicial oversight; however, resource constraints continue to affect the work of the Ombudsperson’s Office and the Commission for Prevention and Protection Against Discrimination. The government has initiated efforts to foster civil society engagement, but challenges such as online hate speech persist.

The European Commission urges the European Parliament, the Council, national parliaments, civil society, and other stakeholders to continue work in constructive dialogue, both at the European and national levels, based on the recommendations outlined in the report.

According to the Commission, for Serbia and North Macedonia, advancing EU accession requires robust reforms, effective implementation, and greater accountability to address judicial, anti-corruption, media, and institutional shortcomings.

Sources: 2025 Rule of Law Report, BETA

Caption: European Commissioner for Justice Michael McGrath speaks during a debate on ‘The Commission’s 2024 Rule of Law report’ at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, 17 June 2025. EPA/RONALD WITTEK