A total of 24 names on the candidate list for members of the Macedonian Radio and Television Program Council

The Parliamentary Committee on Elections and Appointments at today’s session completed the verification of the candidates submitted after the decision to publish a public competition for the appointment of members of the Program Council of the Macedonian Radio and Television (« Official Gazette of the Republic of Northern Macedonia » No. 55/2025).

According to the voting of the members of the Commission, 24 candidates passed 24, while 13 of the applicants were rejected due to the lack of complete documentation required under the conditions of the public competition.

Candidates on the list are dominated by graduates, political scientists, law graduates, but there are also actors, musicologists, producers, electrical engineering and physicians.

These are: Valdeta Kasapi – Professor of Albanian Language and Literature from Skopje, Ilir Ramadani – Master of Law in Law from Noco Selo, Kichevo, Lazo Trpkov – Specialist Politicalist from Skopje, Burim Ramadani – Graduate Musician, Frangovo, Struga, Riste Panov – Bachelor of Politician and Master of Economics in Sveti Nikole, Davor Pasoski – Master of European Degree in Integration from Skopje, Marjan Velevski – Graduate Journalist from Skopje, Mile Grozdanoski – Graduate of Literature History from Skopje, Electrical Engineering and Doctor of Economics, Vedat Memedalia – Graduate Journalist and Economist from the village. Slupcane, Municipality of Lipkovo, Nikola Madic – Graduate Producer, MSc in Human Resource Management, Anita Selimi – Graduate Lawyer from Skopje, Muzbajdin Jamili – Graduate actor from Tetovo, Ivana Efremoski – Veles, Vladimir Palashevski-Bachelor of Politicologist from Skopje, Tomislav Kezharovski-Graduate Law and Politicologist from Skopje, Vladimir Krstevski MA-Bachelor of Producer from Skopje, Bekim Laci-Graduate Professor from Skopje and Maja Sedrak-Master of Music.

The group of candidates who dropped out because they did not submit the requested documentation found the names of Jordan Plevnes, Master of Philology and Dr. Jeta Starova Mehmeti, a doctor of cultural studies.

During the session of the first on the list, graduated journalist Gayur Ramadani was said to have not been submitted a notarized statement to fulfill the condition of Article 119 of the AVMS Law and thus does not meet the conditions to present at the public hearing. Levica MP Amar Mecinovic’s candidacy of Ramadani as well as three other candidates (Risto Panov, Smelka Janevska Sarakacac and Vatat Memedalia) disputed and said they should be automatically deleted from the list. They were part of the program council that was given another term in 2018, and the amendments to the law were given, he says, an almost unlimited mandate until the election of a new program council. According to him, they are in the second term of 2018 and if they were elected would be in the third term, which would be contradictory with Article 118 of the Law that allowed only two terms.

– Now we have welcomed that day when discussing a new program council and I think this would be the third choice for these people, which should automatically be disqualified as this candidate and all further candidates, especially as one of these has been the president of the Program Council for almost 13 years. In terms of their work we can further discuss because we think there are illegal actions in their work. But according to Article 118, I believe that all four candidates should be disqualified from the competition – Mecinovic said.

MP Halil Snapche of AA said he agreed with Amar Mecinovic’s reaction and that he was in principle right that if this was their third term it would be in favor of Article 118, but expects it to be resolved by the Commission when the time comes.

MP Ilire Dauti from DUI requested an explanation for candidates who applied, but did not submit complete documentation whether they were additionally contacted by the Commission regarding the possibility of submitting the documents they lack. Committee President Sajkoski said that there is no obligation to contact the candidates and that the one who fulfills the conditions will participate in a public debate.

At the end of the session, the commission not to be rigorous and to recommend in the future candidates who did not submit the documents to have the opportunity to submit them further when it comes to fulfilling the technical requirements.

MP Sanja Lukarevska from SDSM opposed this proposal and said that the Parliament is the one who elects the members of the Program Council and that the candidates had enough time to show their seriousness and by completing the necessary documentation.

The public debate at which candidates will present to the Committee on Election and Appointment Issues is scheduled for Monday at 12 noon, Commission President Gjorgjija Sajkoski said.

– Given that the debate on bids is over, the Commission, according to the AAVMU Law, will organize a public debate on the candidates who are eligible, to which the support organizations as well as the candidates themselves will be invited. The public debate will be scheduled for Monday at 12 noon – said Sajkoski.

At the start of the session at the request of one of the members of the Commission because the materials were not delivered, a one -hour break was given.

MRT’s Program Council has 13 members elected by the Assembly on the proposal of an authorized proposer. The council has a president and a vice president. The Assembly elects them by a two -thirds majority. The term of office of the members of the Program Council is five years with the right to another consecutive term.

In order to meet the requirements, candidates for MRT Program Council members need to be citizens of Macedonia, have higher education, work experience of at least eight years in the profession, which have been highlighted in the fields of communicology, journalism, informatics, culture, economics or law, relevant to the Program Council. Candidates also submit a notarized statement, stating that they meet all the conditions for preventing conflict of interest under Article 119 of the Law on Audio and Audiovisual Media Services, which refers to who cannot be a member of the MRT Program Council, ie the incompatibility of functions.