This decision comes after an initiative submitted by the previous composition of the Commission for Protection against Discrimination to assess the constitutionality and the legality of the Law, as the Law was adopted without the required majority as regulated by Article 75 of the Constitution.
The adoption of the Law on Protection and Prevention of Discrimination was a victory for all citizens and for equality. The Law had for the first time explicitly prohibited against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity – the result of many years of work, tireless commitment and perseverance of LGBTI activists in North Macedonia. The Law has also received positive opinions from the Venice Commission, the United Nations, the European Union and the OSCE-ODIHR.
The repealing of this Law means that in practice, LGBTI people are not efficiently and effectively protected from discrimination, in addition to the other marginalized groups who were previously protected under this law; such as Roma people, people living in poverty, people with disabilities, and women. It is still not clear whether the previous anti-discrimination law will become effective as a replacement, as the Constitutional Court has yet to decide on this matter, which creates a legal gap regarding anti-discrimination law. Additionally, the repealing of the Law will further postpone the establishment of the Commission for Prevention and Protection from Discrimination, leaving North Macedonia with a lack of independent and professional institutions for providing protection from discrimination, in a context of persistent hate crime and hate-speech being targeted at LGBTI people.
Protection from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity has become a standard in the region, with Albania, Kosovo and Serbia having adopted such laws, and Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro adopted such laws which are also inclusive of sex characteristics, thereby also protecting intersex people against discrimination. Read more via ILGA