NORTH MACEDONIA Closing Legal Gaps to Stop Illegal Killing of Birds EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Due to its central Balkans position, North Macedonia supports both resident bird populations and migratory species align key flyways. Despite existing environmental...
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NORTH MACEDONIA Closing Legal Gaps to Stop Illegal Killing of Birds EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Due to its central Balkans position, North Macedonia supports both resident bird populations and migratory species align key flyways. Despite existing environmental legislation, illegal killing of birds (IKB) remains an increasing threat, with legal inconsistencies and weak enforcement playing a key role. As part of EU accession, the country must align its legislation with the EU acquis. However, the new Law on Hunting (2024) is not aligned with the EU Birds Directive and is in direct contradiction with the Law on Nature Protection, particularly regarding species status and hunting periods. Urgent legal and policy adjustments are required to ensure coherence between local and EU laws and effective enforcement to reduce IKB in the country. KEY MESSAGES IKB level in North Macedonia is currently relatively low but increasing since 2020 1. Early action now can prevent the problem from escalating and becom
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