A/HRC/41/11 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, held its thirty-second session from 21 January to 1 February 2019. The review of North Macedonia was held at the 8th meeting, on 24 January 2019. The delegation of North Macedonia was headed by the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Andrej Zhernovski. At its 14th meeting, held on 29 January 2019, the Working Group adopted the report on North Macedonia. 2. On 15 January 2019, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of North Macedonia: China, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Hungary. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to Council resolution 16/21, the following documents were issued for the review of North Macedonia: (a) A national report submitted/written presentation made in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/32/MKD/1); (b) A compilation prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) (A/HRC/WG.6/32/MKD/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/32/MKD/3). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by Belarus, Belgium, Germany, Portugal, on behalf of the Group of Friends on national implementation, reporting and follow-up, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was transmitted to North Macedonia through the troika. These questions are available on the website of the universal periodic review. I. Summary of the proceedings of the review process A. Presentation by the State under review 5. The head of delegation of North Macedonia emphasized that the State strongly believed the peer review of human rights situations in all States Members of the United Nations could make a substantial contribution to the goal of the equal and full realization of human rights universally. 6. In the period following the second review cycle, North Macedonia had gone through a lengthy political and institutional crisis and had faced serious challenges in the areas of human rights, the rule of law and democracy. With a view to overcoming the crisis and to accelerating reforms, the Government formed on 1 June 2017 had adopted a reform package that had identified urgent priority areas for action and set out reform activities in the areas of the justice system, public administration and the security and intelligence services and also for improving the media landscape. 7. The procedure for the adoption of amendments to the Law on Courts and the Law on the Judicial Council were under way. Laws on criminal procedure, on the council of public prosecutors and on the Public Prosecutor’s Office were in the final stage of drafting. 8. The parliament had adopted a new Law on the Prevention of Corruption and Conflict of Interests, which contained stricter terms and an inclusive and transparent procedure for the selection and appointment of the President of the commission and its members. In the new Law, the competences of the commission had been increased and the tools for inspecting the assets of elected and appointed individuals and scrutinizing the legality of the financing of political parties and electoral campaigns had been strengthened. 2