On 2 March 2026, a one-day interactive workshop on ‘Public Procurement – Dilemmas and Challenges’ was held at the Faculty of Economics – Skopje. The workshop was designed to facilitate the exchange of practical experiences and to deepen knowledge in the field of public procurement.
The workshop was opened with introductory remarks by Mr. Maksim Acevski, Auditor General, and Dr. Mare Bogeva Mitsovska, Director of the Public Procurement Bureau, who emphasized the importance of continuous education, the proper application of legal regulations, and the enhancement of transparency and accountability in the public procurement system.
The first session covered exemptions from the application of the Public Procurement Law, focusing on general exemptions, conditions related to the World Trade Organization Government Procurement Agreement and other international agreements, public procurement between contracting authorities, and procurements carried out by affiliated entities or groups of contracting authorities. Attention was given to the issuance of negative references, frequently asked questions, and practical dilemmas faced by institutions.
The presentation continued with an overview of special procurement procedures, including sectoral contracts and framework agreements. Participants discussed the types of framework agreements and the methods for awarding individual contracts, with concrete practical examples shared during the session.
A separate session was devoted to the conclusion and amendment of public procurement contracts, with particular emphasis on the execution of contract addenda, the use of performance securities, and the conditions for enforcing bank guarantees.
In the second part of the workshop, updates to the Electronic Public Procurement System were presented, including the use of the e-marketplace, the application of “red flags” as a risk identification tool, and the available e-archiving options. Additionally, the methods for conducting administrative checks and the findings observed in practice were explained.
The workshop concluded with final observations and an interactive discussion, during which the need for continuous inter-institutional cooperation and further capacity building was emphasized to ensure an efficient, transparent, and accountable public procurement system.
