On 15 December 2025, a public presentation of the Draft Law on Social Housing was held at the Members of Parliament Club in Skopje. The event brought together representatives of national institutions, local self-government units, civil society organisations, experts, and other relevant stakeholders, providing a platform for open and inclusive dialogue on the proposed legal solutions and their implementation in practice.

In his opening remarks, Gjoko Velkovski, Deputy Minister of Social Policy, Demography and Youth, underlined that the Draft Law aims to ensure fair and dignified access to housing for the most vulnerable groups, while also providing support to young people and young families. He emphasised that the Draft Law introduces clear implementation mechanisms at local level, thereby strengthening the role of municipalities in the social housing system.

Mr Velkovski further stressed that, through open dialogue and partnership with all relevant stakeholders, the Ministry remains committed to developing a legal framework aligned with European standards and responsive to the real needs of citizens.

Addressing the participants, Oleg Soldatov, Head of the Council of Europe Programme Office, highlighted that the Council of Europe has long supported its member states in advancing human rights, social inclusion, and equal access to essential services. He emphasised that housing is not only a basic human need, but a fundamental precondition for dignity, social participation, and the full enjoyment of human rights, in line with the European Social Charter and the standards developed by the European Committee of Social Rights.

The presentation of the Draft Law was delivered by the members of the working group, representatives of civil society, international organisations and national institutions, together with experts who outlined the key concepts, innovations and expected benefits of the proposed legislation. An open discussion followed, focusing on eligibility criteria and procedures for the allocation of social housing, management and maintenance responsibilities, financing models, as well as monitoring, transparency and implementation mechanisms.

The public presentation represented an important step towards the development of an inclusive and sustainable legal framework on social housing, contributing to strengthened social cohesion and improved access to housing, particularly for vulnerable groups. This activity was implemented with the support of the European Union/Council of Europe Joint Programme Roma Integration Phase III.