Review of the Opportunities for Collaboration Between Civil Organizations and Foundations with the Business Sector in the Republic of North Macedonia

Abstract

The development of the civil sector in society is of utmost importance for the democratic values of a country and the promotion of civic awareness. Cooperation between civil society organizations and businesses is a model that has been proven to work. In the Republic of North Macedonia, with the adoption of the Law on Donations and Sponsorships in Public Activities in 2006 and the Law on Associations and Foundations in 2010, the legal framework that regulates this area was harmonized with European standards, and the foundations were laid for the development of measures that will help the sustainability of the civil sector. Аppreciating the contribution of the civil sector and its significant role in the development of society, encouraging pluralism, tolerance, and the development of democracy, 3 strategies for the cooperation of the government with the civil sector with an action plan were adopted in the Republic of North Macedonia in the past 15 years. These strategies were largely implemented through the adoption of several amendments to the aforementioned laws. In this paper, a detailed analysis is made of the Law on Donations and Sponsorships in Public Activities and the Law on Associations and Foundations in 2010 with their amendments. Research has also been done on the practical application of the legal norms that will indicate the advantages and weaknesses of these provisions. The primary goal of this paper is to determine the possibilities and ways to strengthen the cooperation between civil organizations and foundations and the business sector.