Contemporary Macedonian disaster risk management concept follows the idea promoted by the UN and the Hyogo Framework of Action for 2005 – 2015. It has been envisioned to have three core functions: disaster risk reduction, disaster response and disaster recovery.
Paper aims to identify the issues from the operational design of the Macedonian model for disaster risk management and accordingly to propose solutions. Based heavily on the concept of civil defense Macedonian concept preserved the top-down approach, centralized planning and execution with emphasized Government role during execution. However, the process of decentralization and fiscal empowerment of the municipalities in combination with the growth of the private sector, are current trends that poses significant challenges to the overall philosophy and system’s operational success. These present trends must be recognized and addressed accordingly first of all with legislation reform but more important with presenting vision and leadership for the process. The paper analyses national legislation with logical and observational criteria of disaster risk management model in Macedonia.
We examine “real-life” relations between the central and local authorities in Macedonia, identify legal constraints of the system and then analyze the discrepancy between formal and functional in the Macedonian disaster risk management. Bearing in mind that most of the Balkan states share similar if not equal legacy we believe that recommendation for improvement of Macedonia’ disaster risk management could serve as background that will be applicable to the rest of the Region
