Country Profile: Macedonia

This Country Profile provides a basic overview of the legal history and institutional structures of the Republic of Macedonia (Republika Makedonija), based on research produced by GlobaLex at NYU Law School and the Library of Congress. Under Macedonia’s Constitution, Islamic law (sharīʿa or fiqh) has no legal status.

Country Background

Macedonia is a landlocked country located in the Balkans region of Southeastern Europe. It is bounded by Greece, Albania, Kosovo, Serbia, and Bulgaria. The capital of Macedonia is Skopje. The official language is Macedonian. The country’s population in 2016 was approximately 2.1 million. Macedonia is a predominantly Christian country, with about 65% of the population Roman Catholic. Islam is the second most prominent religion in Macedonia, and Muslims make up about 33% of the country's population. 

Constitution & Legal Structure

Macedonia is referred to as a parliamentary republic, in which sovereignty belongs to the people and the Constitution is the supreme law of the land. After the breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s, what was known as the Socialist Republic of Macedonia held a referendum and declared its independence as the Republic of Macedonia in September 1991.The Macedonian Constitution was promulgated in 1991 after Macedonia declared its independence from Yugoslavia. Amendments were made in 1995, following the Interim Accord with neighboring Greece, and in 2001, following the Framework Agreement between ethnic Macedonian and Albanian political parties. In 2005, amendments were introduced that brought major reform to the judicial system. The Constitution was most recently amended in 2011. In addition to guaranteeing basic rights and freedoms, the Constitution establishes a parliamentary system of government with sovereignty deriving from the citizens and a separation of powers between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. 

Constitutional Status of Islamic Law

Islamic law has no constitutional status in Macedonia.

Jurisdiction(s) of Islamic Law

Islamic law has no official jurisdiction of operation in Macedonia.

Dominant School of Islamic Law

Macedonia has no official school of Islamic law. 

Sources of Law for Legal Research

Official Publications

 Unofficial Databases

References:

For an extended list of legal resources for this country, see the Library of Congress’s Research Guide, and for a narrative review, see the GlobaLex Foreign Law Research Guide (most updated version, where available). The Constitution is available in the LOC Guide in its original language and at Constitute in English translation. For full versions of past constitutions, amendments, and related legislation, see HeinOnline World Constitutions Illustrated or Oxford Constitutions of the World [subscription required for each].