A/HRC/26/10 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 of 18 June 2007, held its eighteenth session from 27 January to 7 February 2014. The review of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia was held at the 8th meeting on 30 January 2014. The delegation of the State under review was headed by Igor Djundev, Director of the Directorate for Multilateral Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At its 14th meeting, held on 4 February 2014, the Working Group adopted the report on the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. 2. On 15 January 2014, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia: China, Ireland and Namibia. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to resolution 16/21, the following documents were issued for the review of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia: (a) A national report submitted/written presentation given in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/18/MKD/1); (b) A compilation prepared by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) (A/HRC/WG.6/18/MKD/2 and Corr.1); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/18/MKD/3). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Sweden and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was transmitted to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia through the troika. Those questions are available on the extranet of the universal periodic review (UPR). I. Summary of the proceedings of the review process A. Presentation by the State under review 5. The head of the delegation commenced by emphasizing that the State under review strongly believed in the pivotal role of the multilateral human rights system in monitoring the performance of States in implementing their international obligations. The Government had accepted and implemented the recommendations received during the first UPR cycle and in March 2012 had submitted, on a voluntary basis, a mid-term report on implementation which was the result of consultations with ministries and with the nongovernmental sector. 6. In April 2012 the Government had established the Intersectoral Commission for Human Rights, composed of representatives of the Government and independent human rights institutions. It was tasked with the coordination of national human rights policy, follow-up to the recommendations of the treaty bodies and the streamlining of national efforts in that regard. On a number of occasions it had reviewed the implementation of the recommendations received during the first UPR cycle. 7. Responding to questions submitted concerning the justice system, the delegation stated that reform was a government priority. To that end, the Law on Criminal Procedure 3