International Religious Freedom Report, 2003: Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

摘要

The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right in practice. There was improvement in the status of respect for religious freedom during the period covered by this report. The August 13 Framework Agreement, concluded in 2001 to end Macedonia's ethnic Albanian insurgency, contained broad constitutional and legislative reforms focused on greater minority rights. At the beginning of the implementation of this agreement and during the 2002 election campaign, religious issues increasingly were politicized. Following the October 31, 2002, formation of the Government, its representatives mitigated ethnic and religious tensions. In numerous public settings, officials reduced the level of rhetoric and consistently promoted reconciliation. The absence of provocative actions and public statements by government officials, which characterized the previous government, has improved respect for religious freedom. Additionally, there were no attacks on any churches or mosques during the period covered by this report. The law places some limits on religious practice by restricting the establishment of places of worship and restricting where contributions may be made. The generally amicable relationship among the various religious communities contributed to religious freedom. The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the Government in the context of its overall dialogue and policy of promoting human rights.