Using Beneficial Ownership Data to Reduce Corruption (2023-2026)

This will be achieved by detecting weaknesses, shortcomings and space for improving the use of beneficial ownership data as one of the key instruments in the fight against corruption; checking and revealing the possible existence of a conflict of interest and abuse of power among politically exposed persons by cross-referencing data from the registers of beneficial owners and elected and appointed persons with data on public procurement contracts; improving the application of data on beneficial owners as part of the country’s overall anti-corruption efforts by developing recommendations and advocating for their application, as well as expanding the basic understanding and influence of the need and possibility of using data on beneficial owners by involving the media, civil society organizations and the public.
Target groups of the action are: (1) anti-corruption institutions and law enforcement agencies; (2) other state institutions; (3) companies; (4) civil society organizations; (5) the media and (6) citizens.
The total budget of the project is 14,446,059 denars for a period of three years. The project is implemented in partnership of the Center for Civic Communications, the Center for Active Citizens Aktivo Veles and the Association of Tax Advisors of the Republic of Macedonia, and is supported by Civica Mobilitas, which is a project of the Government of Switzerland to support civil society in North Macedonia, implemented by the Macedonian Center for International Cooperation (MCIC), NIRAS from Denmark and FCG from Sweden. The goal of the program is social changes in North Macedonia that are driven by a strong civil sector, active citizens and good cooperation with the authorities, resulting in an expanded civic space, more sustainable civil society organizations and more transparent, accountable and socially inclusive governance at the central and local levels.