Civil participation of minority communities in decentralization process and development of local self-government administration in Republic of Macedonia

This paper places emphasis on the political participation of minorities in the process of decentralization and development of local self-goverment in Macedonia.
The first part of the paper presents the data related to the political participation in the first decade of Macedonia’s independence, while the second part examines the new legislative amendments adopted and implemented on basis of the Ohrid Framework Agreement (OFA), understood as an essential instrument for the decentralization process and respect of all cultural identities. Data analysis offers evidence of improvement in the political participation of all minorities and their increased influence in the decision-making process on central level, by the application of the Badinter Rule. Certain research results demonstrate that the legislative changes offer instrument for increasing the influence of minorities in the local decision process, but they are not adequately used. The closing part of the paper offers several examples of local development based on the multicultural character of the local municipality.