The first meeting of the expert group established to prepare the Law on Social Housing in North Macedonia was held on 29 September 2025 in Skopje. The meeting marks an important step towards developing a comprehensive legal framework aimed at improving housing conditions for vulnerable groups and aligning national policies with European and international standards.

The meeting was opened with welcoming remarks by Oleg Soldatov, Head of the Council of Europe Programme Office in Skopje, who underlined that the process of preparing the Law on Social Housing is an opportunity to introduce systemic solutions that ensure accessibility, quality, and equal opportunities for all, with particular attention to the most disadvantaged groups, including the Roma community. He emphasised that the work of the expert group should ensure accessibility for all citizens in need, full respect for human rights and non-discrimination, transparent and fair allocation mechanisms, and effective monitoring systems to guarantee the quality of services.

Mabera Kamberi, Head of the Sector for Technical Support to the Minister of Social Policy, Demography and Youth, provided a chronological overview of earlier initiatives for the preparation of this law in 2010 and 2018, highlighting the renewed commitment to finalising this process.

The speakers stressed the importance of ensuring that the forthcoming law reflects these principles and responds effectively to the housing needs of citizens at social risk.

Within the meeting, a comparative overview of legal frameworks on social housing in European Union member states and countries of the region was presented. The overview emphasized that North Macedonia remains the only Western Balkan Beneficiary without an adopted law on social housing, with the Serbian and Montenegrin legislation identified as the most comparable in terms of structure and institutional setup.

Furthermore, a discussion on the structure, target groups, and eligibility criteria for exercising the right to social housing was held, with a focus on clearly defining all vulnerable groups at social risk.

The collective expertise and engagement of the expert group members is crucial in drafting a proposal for a sustainable and effective social housing system, thereby improving the living conditions of vulnerable groups while harmonising the national framework with the standards and recommendations of the Council of Europe.

This activity is implemented under the European Union and Council of Europe Joint Programme Roma Integration Phase III.