Media Workshop on Enforcement Practice in North Macedonia

Our CILC “Balkan Enforcement Strengthening Project” (BESP) project held a media workshop in Strumica, North Macedonia on 26th and 27th February to discuss current issues and principles of enforcement but also demystify enforcement and get a better understanding of the process and the role of the enforcement agent and the Chamber of Enforcement agents.

BESP project has been working for more than four years now with the National Chamber of Enforcement Agents in North Macedonia, supporting them in the development of a communication strategy, designing a new modern and user-friendly website and training enforcement agents to collaborate with media. However, this was the first joint event with media representatives in the almost 20 years of existence of the profession. Journalists from major national and regional media outlets were present and could openly ask their questions, meet with enforcement agents and international experts in enforcement and dismantle jointly the myths and urban legends around the enforcement process and enforcement agents.

From the general public perception that enforcement equals eviction and enforcement agents overcharge and take “the shirt from the back” of poor people, through asking questions and providing examples, participants reached better understanding, pointing to the simple facts and figures, showing that enforcement has always two parties and the enforcement agent is providing solutions and implementing a court decision. Journalists, on the other hand, also laid out their expectations for transparency and regular exchanges, requesting that the Chamber makes itself accessible for comments and encouraging it to be proactive in sharing information.

The workshop resulted in a number of interviews with CILC international experts and Chamber representatives and publications. For several days on end the topic of enforcement was in the news and prime time TV. We believe that the workshop managed to set up the beginning of an open and successful collaboration of enforcement agents with the media for raising the awareness of citizens and transforming the negative public image of the profession.