North Macedonia
Mickoski on the bar exam: written part in the language of study, oral part in Macedonian
North Macedonia's prime minister defends the principle of a common language for the justice system, while Albanian students demand that the entire exam be taken in Albanian.
By ANN Newsroom · Newsroom
October 20, 2026, 15:22 · Updated 12:22 · 2 min read
In brief
- Mickoski said the oral part of the bar exam should be taken in Macedonian, as the official language of the justice system.
- He said he does not know how the 84% figure circulating as a compromise was calculated and cited a recommendation by the Venice Commission.
- Students reject the compromise and demand an exam entirely in Albanian, warning of new protests.
North Macedonia's Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski has given his position on Albanian students' demand that the bar exam be held in Albanian. According to him, the written part of the exam should be taken in the language in which candidates studied, while the oral part should be in Macedonian, which he describes as the official language of the justice system.
Mickoski invoked the principle of a common language for the judicial system, as well as a recommendation by the Venice Commission. He also said he does not know how the 84% figure, mentioned as the share of the exam that would be given in Albanian under the proposed solution, was calculated.
Students: the whole exam in Albanian
Albanian law students have rejected the proposal that 84% of the exam be in Albanian and are demanding that the entire exam be held in Albanian, in line with the Law on the Use of Languages. They have protested twice and warned of new protests, with support from fellow students in Pristina and Tirana. The demand was first raised at the end of 2024 through a petition by about 400 students from three law faculties: the University of Tetovo, South East European University and Mother Teresa University.
The minister and the opposition
Justice Minister Jeton Shasivari has said the changes will not be adopted “behind closed doors,” that students will be invited to review the solution and that the Venice Commission's opinion will be sought. According to him, the aim is a single model and not parallel exam systems.
The Albanian opposition party, the DUI (BDI), has called the minister's proposal scandalous and accuses him of trying to circumvent the law and the Constitution. Lawmaker Saranda Imeri Stafai said on TV Shenja that 11 subjects, including the practical part, would be examined in Albanian. Deputy Prime Minister Bekim Sali had initially promised a solution within a week, before later pushing back the deadline.
Mickoski's statement is expected to further inflame the debate, as students have made clear they will not accept a partial solution.
