Macedonian Court Modernization Project

Project Components

COMPONENT 1: LEGAL STRUCTURE AND PRACTICES

1.1. Legislative Reform and Drafting
The goal of the project’s legislative drafting and reform component is to assist with the improvement of the overall functioning of the judiciary and the operation of the courts. Legislative reform assistance will be provided in a way that allows Macedonia to meet its long term goal of harmonizing its legislation with European Union standards. Depending on counterpart needs, the MCMP has provided assistance on legislative reform matters related to:

Independent Court Budget Legislation
Law on Civil Procedure
Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure Law
Law on the Enforcement
Laws and Amendments related to the Operation of the Courts
Constitutional Amendments
Other legislation that may arise during the course of the project

Activities and Results

Amendments to the Constitution. Ms. Meri Mladenovska-Georgievska, Minister of Justice, on June 21, 2005 convened a Working Group meeting and presented a working version of the proposed amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia. This working document was prepared at the Ministry based on the written opinions and proposals received from legal experts and institutions. The Minister requested that all “legal minds” analyze the proposed solution who were requested to submit their opinion in written form by the first week in July, 2005. The Ministry of Justice submitted the first version of the proposed amendments to Parliament for review and enactment.The Consitutional Amendments were finally enacted on December 7, 2005. The Macedonian Court Modernization Project sponsored six public discussion roundtables on the proposed amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia which were indispensable in assuring the final passage of the these amendments. The amendments paved the way for a restructuring of the courts and were the precursor to the Law on the Courts, Law on the Republic Judicial Council, Law on Misdemeanors, Law on Administrative Proceedings and other that are proposed and are expected to become law in the summer of 2006.

Law on Enforcement. The Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia on May 5, 2005 enacted the Law on Enforcement and introduced a new private enforcement system. Under the new law creditors in the Republic of Macedonia are now able to initiate enforcement through private enforcement agents as of May 25, 2006. The courts will be relieved from all unresolved enforcement cases in court were enforcement agents have been retained and trained. This will eventually cover all courts of the Republic of Macedonia.

The Center for International Legal Cooperation in Leiden, Netherlands was the organizer of a study tour on “Enforcement of Judgments” in The Netherlands and Lithuania. Selected participants from the Working Group that prepared the Law had an opportunity to get acquainted in practice with the private bailiff system in Netherlands and Lithuania (April 17-30, 2005). The Working group had an opportunity to discuss at length with legislators and practitioners in both countries about experiences and difficulties they faced while introducing the new private enforcement system. This experience will be utilized in preparation of sub-regulation under this law.

Mr. Jos Uitdehaag and Mr. Ton Jongbloed visited and worked in Skopje from June 26-30, 2005. The experts, Nena Ivanovska, from DPK and Radica Gerovska-Lazarevska, from MOJ, met with representatives from Stopanska Banka, the Central Registry, Cadastre office of Skopje, QBE Insurance Company and the Central Depositary of Pledges. The meetings were aimed at assessing the current situation concerning access to public information and to establish cooperation with those institutions in order to allow future enforcement agents quick and accurate data. The Working Group and expert team developed an action plan for implementation of the law in the next 12 months. Nena Ivanovska, legal coordinator, and MOJ will develop strategy and plan for a broader public campaign as an introduction to the new system of private enforcement conduct by enforcement agent -- legal professionals with public authorization. An awareness campaign and public discussion will run from May 2006 until August, 2006

Law on Civil Procedure. The Ministry of Justice Working Group prepared a draft of the Law on Civil Procedure and sent it to the Parliament for the second hearing. MCMP Consultant Jan Vranken reviewed the draft text, complimented the Working Group on the progress achieved and submitted his final comments.

USAID and MCMP requested a second independent opinion on the draft text of the law and its compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights and EU Laws. Professor Jan Jongbloed of the University of Utrecht Law Faculty reviewed the law and confirmed that it is consistent with ECHR and best EU practices.

The MOJ and MCMP held a second roundtable on June 16, 2005 on the Law on Civil Procedure with participation of more than 45 legal practitioners. That was the last opportunity for judges, lawyers and faculties to present their views and suggestions on the drafted law and to request the MOJ to prepare amendments for the Parliament session before enactment.
The Parliament discussed the law and accepted it with few amendments on its session held on June 23, 2005 It was finally enacted into law in September of 2005 and became effective on December 31, 2005. MCMP proceeded to carry out extensive training for judges and court staff on the new law and will conduct follow up training throughout the spring of 2006.

Project on Court Statistics. MCMP and the Ministry of Justice developed methodology for data collection of court cases in 16 trial courts with expanded jurisdiction. The project was officially launched on June 21 in trial court Bitola. The Methodology was tested and amended based on the data collected at three pilot locations: Bitola, Gostivar, and Tetovo. The ten pilot court coordinators helped with data collection and suggestions for improvement of the data collection system based on a specific practice at each court regarding maintaining court cases registers.

Professor Miroslava-Momirska Marjanovic, of the St. Cyril and Methodius University Business School, (retired), worked in the field together with MOJ statisticians to collect the court data. She subsequently aided the staff in preparing the analysis in the format most useful to the MOJ. Delivery of the study to the MOJ of this extensive study took place in December 2005. This very important study became the basis for the MOJ’s and the Supreme Court’s advocacy of several important aspects of the Law on the Courts addressing the structure of the courts of Macedonia.

1.2 Establishment of Pilot Courts.

There are now ten pilot court sites working with the Project. Seven pilot court sites (Tetovo, Shtip, Bitola, Kriva Palanka, Prilep, Kocani and Struga) where implemented in September 2003. The objective was to demonstrate application of modern case management methods to increase proactive court management by judges and administrative staff, to focus the program resources on improving the court ability to provide better access to the public, to reduce case backlog and eliminate unnecessary delays. Three pilot courts and court coordinators were added in Skopje II, Gostivar and Ohrid Basic Courts in January of 2005. The best practices from the original pilot courts were replicated and implemented in these three additional courts This will promote greater initiative, proper delegation of administrative authority and control to local levels.

Activities and Results

Criminal, Civil and Commercial Closed and Pending Case Survey. The Criminal, Civil and Commercial Closed and Pending Case Survey analyses results of 1830 closed and 1517 pending criminal and 2471 closed and 2988 pending civil cases were presented in a consolidated form, data, at the February 15, 2006 Case Delay Reduction Conference from all ten pilot courts.
The sample size for each court provides a level of 95% statistical certainty of results.

The February 15, 2006 conference included 82 representatives of the twenty pilot court criminal and civil case caseflow committees, appellate court president judges and the AO director. The Conference was opened by the Supreme Court of Republic of Macedonia President Judge Dane Iliev.

The information presented by Ms. Gordana Stojanova, the MCMP pilot court manager, at the conference has set the stage for the future development and implementation of strategies to reduce case backlog and delay. Presenting the data at this one day workshop in a consolidated form to all pilot courts has established the foundation for:

Defining a backlog and delay standard in the criminal cases at a local and national level;

Establishing the case flow or delay reduction committee in the criminal area of each pilot court;

Drafting an action plan to address case delay issues identified in this assessment;

Revising the civil case delay plan in the original seven pilot courts; and

Exchange and replication of successful experience and practices in reducing backlog and delay.
As a result of the survey and analysis each criminal and civil closed and pending case committee has developed their own local time standards, activities, goals, and evaluation parameters, as well as their 2006 civil and criminal case backlog and delay reduction plan.

In continuing this effort in the area of backlog and delay reduction, representatives of the MCMP team will meet, individually, with each pilot court case delay reduction committee in May of 2006. In those follow-up meetings, there will be a review of the challenges and successes of case delay reduction, and the strategies that may be suggested and implemented to further reduce case delay in their court.

Public Users Satisfaction Survey. During the fourth quarter of 2005, with the support of all court employees and the 11 MCMP court coordinators the Public Users Satisfaction Survey was conducted in all ten pilot courts. The surveys resulted in immediate feedback and response from court users that identified the areas of needed improvement of court services. There has been a continuous effort by the courts in all areas identified for improvement through the survey. The summary of interim indicators for the 28 months period of October 2003-November 2005 shows an increase of 15.08% of overall citizens feedback on court performance and has reached a level of 70.93% for the original seven Macedonian pilot courts. The survey for several basic courts showed a significant overall increase in public user satisfaction (Basic Court Tetovo +18%, Basic Court K.Palanka +15%, Basic Courts Stip +22%, Basic Courts Kocani +13%, Basic Courts Bitola +15% and Basic Courts Struga 8%). The summary of interim indicators for the 6 months period of March,2005-November 2005 shows an increase of 4.58% of overall citizens feedback on court performance and has reached a level of 58.30% for the three new pilot courts. A significant increase in the original pilot courts, 7.12%, and in the new pilot courts, 3.75% has been made under the question:” I understand the instructions of the court and what I need to do next”. .We credit this increase to the several trainings made in the field of customer service and caseflow management.

The detailed results from each court on the Public Users Satisfaction Survey were presented to that court’s president judge. During that meeting, emphasis was placed on development and implementation of techniques to increase public user satisfaction in the nine specified areas of the survey.

A new round, sixth for the seven original pilot courts and third for the three new pilot courts, is planned and will be conducted during the months May and June, 2006.

New President Judges in Basic Courts Kriva Palanka and Skopje II. In February, 2006, the Macedonian Parliament elected and assigned new president judges in three MCMP Pilot Courts. Judge Slavica Georgieva is the new president judge in Basic Court Kriva Palanaka, Judge Bekir Shaini will serve as president judge in Basic Court Skopje II and Judge Ljuben Binoski has been elected as the new president judge of Basic Court Prilep. MCMP chief of Party Joseph Traficanti and MCMP Component 2 representatives, Sam Juncker and Gordana Stojanova, held introductory meetings with these three new president judges. Items discussed were civil and criminal backlog and delay reduction, needed and essential reforms of essential laws, AO automation, public user satisfaction, training and education and court facility improvements.

MCMP welcomes the new members of the team and looks forward to a long and cooperative relationship.

COMPONENT 2: COURT ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT

2. 1. Improve Court Administration and Management at the National and Local Levels
The most efficient judicial systems throughout the world recognize a separation between judicial and administrative functions. The MCMP team is assisting our Macedonian counterparts to establish the procedures, methodologies, and administrative bodies necessary to more effectively administer and manage court resources. MCMP expertise includes:

functioning of an Administrative Office of the Courts;
development of budgeting and personnel policies;
provision of facilities management and logistical support;
development of case flow management and delay reduction programs;
standardization of forms and procedures at all levels within the court;
development of statistical reporting standards;
design and implementation of information technology systems, and design and implement a Public Users Satisfaction Survey to obtain citizens feedback and assist in identifying ways to improve the services provided by the court – thereby improving public trust and confidence in the courts.

The MCMP team will assist counterparts to establish a reasonable and structured plan that allows for stages of growth to reach the desired model over the course of the life of the project and beyond.

Administrative Office of the Courts. Increased capacity of the Administrative Office of the Courts is a key objective of Component 2. Although the Court Budget Council recently approved funding for additional full-time AO staff, that hiring process had not begun. MCMP has reviewed with the AO various organization designs and functional options that could be used when additional personnel are hired. In the interim the Project has provided four full time employees to support the work of the AO including an assistant to the director for the duration of the Project as well as a management analyst, a financial analyst and an information technology specialist for a shorter duration. It is expected that the AO will be fully funded at government expense in the near future.

Court Administration Study Tour to the United States. AO Director Dr. Zanina Kirovska, Court Secretaries Olivera Maneli Bandevska (Basic Court Bitola), Zaklina Doveden (Basic Court Struga), Suzana Varnalieva (Basic Court Veles) and Pilot Court Coordinators Jasmina Shishkovska, Emilija Paparova and Srecko Mitovski participated in MCMP’s court administration study tour to Washington D.C. and Kansas City (May 16-28, 2005). Topics emphasized on the tour included:

Caseflow management
Electronic filing system
Record management
Alternative dispute resolution and mediation
Media relations
Human resources
Strategic planning
The role of the Court Administrator and his/hers relation with the President Judge

As part of the study tour, to assist the AO with additional insights and vision, and to obtain a more realistic view of how a U.S. AO operates, while in Kansas certain members shadowed their counterparts at the Kansas State Court Administration Office in Topeka. Areas emphasized included:

How the AO Director manages
Budgeting and fiscal controls
Court facilities
Judicial assignment and conflict cases
Human resource management
Media relations
Education programs for judges and staff
Court statistics and reports
Alternative dispute resolution and family services

2.2 Contribute to Court Computerization Efforts

Automated Budget Management System. This system will be implemented in all 32 court units of Macedonia and is a key to the effective operation of the AO. During July 2005, the vendor selection committee began reviewing vendor proposals for Phase I of the project – the application software. A team from the AO, Ministry of Education and Science, USAID, and MCMP created a system to review and evaluate the vendor proposals.

The Phase I vendor selection process was divided into three functions. The selection committee first reviewed the proposals comparing items such as:

Delivery terms,
Warranty period and maintenance,
Past performance, and
Meeting the requirements and quality of the offered solution.

Second, the Director of the Administrative Office designated three “Subject Matter Experts” to assist the committee and participate in this selection process. Selected were staff persons who perform budget related tasks daily in their courts and included Stojna Cerepnalkovska (Supreme Court), Biljana Upevce (Basic Court Struga), and Slagjana Duganova (Basic Court Gevgelija). They visited the potential vendor’s clients to review the work product produced for that company. Specific items checked included: stability of the solution implemented, documentation, training, maintenance, and general satisfaction with the vendor’s work.

Vendor demonstrations were conducted of their proposed solution in five areas of focus: 1) financial management, 2) material tracking and inventory, 3) personnel and payroll, 4) budget planning and execution, and 5) assets inventory. In the spring of 2006 the testing and evaluation of the product provided by the successful bidder was conducted. Any software shortcomings will be remedied as a result.

MCMP staff will work with personnel from the Supreme Court in preparing technical specifications for the needed hardware to operate the application software. This hardware phase of the project will begin in the summer of 2006.

Integrated Court Information System. ICIS is a case tracking system based on the existing operational procedures in the courts. Although questions continue as to the funding for total ICIS implementation, current thinking is that it should be implemented in two or three Pilot Courts. Following an analysis of that pilot implementation, a decision will be made on implementation in all Macedonian Courts. A User’s group will create the methodology and criteria for an in-depth evaluation of ICIS. Information will also be harvested from two courts currently using ICIS on a limited basis. It is anticipated that this evaluation will define for the MOJ and the Supreme Court, the enhancements, amendments and changes required to upgrade the program to meet with the courts’ needs and expectations and meeting international standards.

2.3. Modern Court Facilities and Equipment

The importance of physical facilities to the effective administration of justice is widely recognized. Physical court facilities should reflect the needs of the judges, non-judicial personnel, and the public at large. The Project is therefore providing technical expertise for the establishment of the standards, guidelines, and planning tools necessary to redesign and improve court facilities.

Activities and Results

The Project’s efforts to improve existing court facilities are moving forward. The renovations are designed to improve the dignity of the court, foster public respect for the court and allow courts to be more efficient.

Facility improvements have been extensive and have included upgraded courtrooms, intake centers security equipment, furnishings, signage archive centers and more. A sampling of the work completed, underway or planned are as follows:

The court renovation projects that are in various stages of design, architectural specifications and costing, or RFQ and contract award are summarized as follows:

Basic Court Struga	Intake center consolidated with registry office; Improved records/archive file equipment; Courtroom(12) Furnishings; Lobby furniture
Basic Court Struga	Training Room Furniture and Court standard signage
Basic Court Kriva Palanka	Court Reception Furnishings; Court Conference and Chamber Furnishings; Computers
Basic Court Kriva Palanka	Courtroom(3) and Archive center Renovations
Basic Court Tetovo	Reconstruction of court office areas; Consolidation of intake and registry office; Improved records/ archive file equipment; Model Courtroom; Lobby Furniture.
Basic Court Tetovo	Reconstruction of court office areas; Consolidation of intake and registry office; Improved records/ archive file equipment; Lobby Furniture.
Basic Court Kocani	Courtroom (3) Renovation; Additional conference/ mediation room; Lobby Furniture
Basic Court Kocani	Reconstruction of court office areas; Consolidation of intake and registry office; Improved records/ archive file equipment; Lobby Furniture.
Basic Court Prilep	Demolition and reconstruction of court offices/areas; Consolidation of all intake offices with the registry office; Improved records/ archive file equipment; Implementation of modular intake and registry staff furniture
Phase II- Prilep	Courtroom (6) Renovation; Lobby Furniture
Basic Court Stip	All intake/ registry office consolidation; Improved records/ archive file equipment; Modular intake staff and registry staff furniture implementation
Basic Court Stip	Court Library and Office space for judges Furnishings; Lobby Furnishings;
Basic Court Gostivar	Remodeling of: existing main public entrance, court reception and security area, criminal and misdemeanor enforcement intakes; Renovation of all three existing courtrooms; Lobby furniture
Basic Court Kratovo	Consolidation of all intake offices with the registry center by implementing more efficient and opened design; Improved records/archive file equipment; Lobby furniture
* Basic Court Bitola Phase I CFI project	Training Room Furnishings
Basic Court Bitola Phase II CFI project	Courtroom, Conference/Mediation and public areas interior renovation and furnishings
Basic Court Ohrid Phase I	Archive renovation (passive arhives)
Signage for eight pilot courts (Skopje II has existing signage, Struga is finished)	Standard Court Signage
Basic Court Ohrid Phase II	Intake center and active archives renovation
Basic Court Skopje II	Archive closets
Basic Court Skopje II	Air ventilation machine
Medium Security Courtroom Skopje I	Furniture, chairs, construction and electricity
Medium Security Courtroom Skopje I	FTR
COURT ACCESS SECURITY SYSTEMS & EQUIPMENT
Court Security Equipment Supreme court and nine Basic Courts
Alarm, gas and fire system Supreme court and nine Basic Courts
DVR security boxes Supreme Court and nine Basic Courts
Outside lighting Tetovo, Kocani and Struga
Security Equipment for Basic Court Skopje II	Metal detector walk through (1), hand metal detector (2), X-ray machine (1), CCTV system and security electric doors with cards
Security Equipment for Basic Court Ohrid	Duress alarm and fire alarm
AO COMPUTER HARDWARE & SOFTWARE SYSTEMS
AO Budget Automation System Phase I (Application Software)
AO Budget Automation System Phase II (AO Hardware and Software)
AO Budget Automation System Phase III (AO staff hardware & software)
Public Prosecution IT and electronic loks and telephones
Public Prosecution furniture
Planned IT activities, please see unlocated
Constitutional Court IT equipment	Hardware and Software

COMPONENT 3: LEGAL TRAINING

3.1. Development and Execution of Legal Training Programs
MCMP continues to work with our partners in providing a comprehensive educational program for judicial officers and court personnel. The project will provide expertise to improve the skills of those involved in judicial branch education, to assess the educational needs of judges and staff to ensure their needs are addressed in the delivery of education, training and development programs.

Activities and Results

Executive, Administrative and Staff Education:

The MCMP training team working with the CCE, Debora Krstevska and Antanas Georgievsk provided training to the new Pilot Courts in Customer Service and Ethics.

Joint Programs with the CCE through June 30, 2005.The following programs for Judges were agreed upon by CCE, Judge Miftari, and the Project for the first half of 2005 which will be continued on a periodic basis throughout the life of the Project

Basic Faculty Training
Advanced Faculty Training
New Judges Orientation
Staff Skills Training

Macedonia Judicial Administrative Conference (MJAC).
Concept. The Macedonia Judicial Administrative Conference is based on the California Judicial Administrative Conference in which members of an MCMP sponsored Study Tour to the California Administrative Office of the Courts in 2004 participated. The idea was to gather together in one location individuals representing different parts of the judicial branch and in this way to consider those issues that affect the administration of justice in the Republic of Macedonia at all levels. All significant stakeholders including the Ministry of Justice, the Administrative Office of the Court Budget Council, the Supreme Court, and the Center for Continuing Education (CCE/MJA) took an active role in the MJAC.

As in any conference setting it was necessary to prepare an agenda that would hold the interest of the participants and provide useful information. On the opening day, President Dane Iliev of the Macedonian Supreme Court provided the keynote address entitled, “The Challenge of Change.” The Minister of Justice, Meri Mladenovska-Gjorgjievska spoke on Friday. Her theme was “The National Strategy.” Both speakers were well received and provided thought-provoking insights that led to a dialogue among the attendees.

Three programs highlighted the third and final day. The first was “Law on the Enforcement of Judgments” featuring, as panelists, the working group which wrote the law. The second was “Public Trust and Confidence” featuring Judge Djemajli Arifi from Tetovo and Judge Lazar Nanev of Kavadarci.

The Legislative and Judicial branches engaged in a panel discussion entitled “Legislative-Judicial Relations, Developing an Effective Dialogue.” Appearing from the judicary were former Supreme Court Justice Fidanco Stoev, President Judge Angelco Videski of Prilep, and President Judge Nikola Spaseski of Struga.
Representatives from the Parliament included Mr. Zarko Karadzovski of the opposition party, VMRO-NP; Mr. Adnan Jasari of the Albanian Ruling Party, DUI; and Ms. Cvetanka Ivanovska of the ruling party, SDSM. The Moderator, Ms. Zagorka Tnokovska, was masterful in her ability to balance the presentations from the several panelists.

This was a historic moment because it represents the first public meeting between the legislative branch and the judicial branch to concentrate on opening the doors and to provide a foundation for effective dialogue and increased comity between the two branches of government.

Sustainability. Only a limited number of international experts participated in the program. Instead, an emphasis was placed on including local Macedonian experts in this program. Of the 49 presenters and moderators for the Conference, 43 were Macedonians while six were foreign nationals from the Netherlands, Austria, and the United States. In order to expand the base of those individuals who can execute this type of a program the Project included 11 Court Coordinators from the Pilot Courts, the CBC/MCMP Coordinator, and four members of the CCE staff. In addition three members of the CCE Board played an active part in the program. The attendance over the three days averaged 140 individuals each day. Based on the high level of participation and the excellent evaluations, the developing dialogue, the identification of new and dynamic individuals, and the recognition of new ideas and best practices, the Project recommends that MJAC II occur in spring 2006. However, consistent with the idea that we wish to build a sustainable activity, It has been recommend by MCMP that similar programs be planned by the Macedonian Judiciary and the Ministry of Justice in the future.

Faculty Development. The Project has provided a sereies of faculty development courses. The first occurred from April 26-29 2005 at the Arka Hotel in Skopje specifically for basic faculty development, while two programs were held at the Holiday Inn from May 4-7 and May 9-12 of 2005 for advanced faculty. Both programs have since been repeated regionally. The development of faculty is integral to the growth of the newly developed Judicial Training Academy and the Center for Continuing Education which is now a part of that Academy.

New Judge’s Orientation. The Project sponsored a highly successful New Judges Orientation program from June 15-18 2005 at Ohrid for 18 judges from throughout Macedonia. This was a diverse class including eight individuals of Albanian and one individual of Turkish heritage among the 18 members of the class. Furthermore, there were seven women in the class of 18. Trainers included six Macedonian educators, each of whom was developed by the Project and one member of Project staff. The Macedonian educators came from Struga, Ohrid, Gevgelija, Bitola, and Skopje. The Project has been asked by CCE to provide another New Judges Orientation should more judges be appointed in the future. . This successful and necessary program has been repeated as needed and has set the standard for such training which will be conducted in the future through the newly developed Judicial Training Academy.

Skopje Appellate Annual Report. In cooperation with the Skopje Appellate Court, the Project supported the first public presentation of the Annual Report. In providing this report about the activity of the Appellate Court and the 12 Basic Courts in the Appellate District, the President Judge exhibited leadership by example. In addition to the information provided, President Judge Vedat Veli, recognized the importance of dealing transparently with the public concerning the Court System. The event was covered by all television stations in Macedonia. All told, there were over 20 representatives of the media including radio, television, and print journalists.

Milestone Reached. On June 16, 2005, Debora Krstevska and Atanas Georgievski made their 50th presentation while providing a course on Court Security at Ohrid Basic Court. Paired for just about one year, the two have provided education at eleven courts on four different subject matters. They have since prepared and presented several more courses and have been recognized as leaders in the field of judicial education in Macedonia.

3.2. Institutional Development of the CCE (now part of the Juicial Training Academy)
MCMP will assist our institutional partners to develop strategies and legislation to provide for the continuing growth and sustainability of judicial branch training in Macedonia, including training of court personnel.

Activities and Results

Needs Assessment. The initial educational needs assessment was written and provided to USAID for review on April 15, 2005. The findings are based on the needs assessment questionnaire received from 209 judges in Macedonia and personal interviews with a large number of individuals from all three Appellate Districts. The number of judges who completed the questionnaire represents 1/3 of the judges in Macedonia and is evenly distributed among the three Districts.

Judicial Training Institute. The Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia has adopted legislation making the Juicial Training Institute a reality. The Center for Continuing Education has now been absorbed into the larger institution and during April of 2006 was in the process of organizating. A Board of Directors is being constituted and a Director will be appointed in the spring of 2006. Much of the funding and support for this institution has come from the European Agency for Reconstruction. The Project will assist this new institution as requested consistent with MCMP goals and available resources.

The CCE Direct Grant was reviewed and approved by USAID on April 28, 2005. The Center for Continuing Education of the MJA and the Project signed the direct grant on May 20, 2005. This grant was for the period from January 1, 2005 through September 30, 2005. On May 23, 2005 the CCE forwarded a request for disbursement of funds for the period from January 1, 2005 through June 30, 2005. In April of 2006 this Center was absorbed as part of the new Judicial Training Academy.

DPK-SOROS-CCE Matching Grant. The three partners agreed to an extension of six months until June 30, 2006, for this grant as well as a re-allocation of funds. The extension period will allow the Project to include in the staff education program an additional 10 courts. Furthermore, this extension allows the development and presentation of three regional programs presented by the appellate districts. The Project also gained a staff member to assist the two educators for a period of 70% of each work week