The latest survey by the Macedonian Center for International Cooperation (MCIC) reveals a significant decline in public trust in civil society organisations (CSOs). In 2024, the overall trust index in the sector dropped to 42.9%, down by 8.2 percentage points compared to 2021. Only 38.4% of respondents expressed trust in CSOs, with notable variations across age, region, and ethnicity, highest among youth (51.8%) and ethnic Albanians (45.6%), and lowest among those over 65 and residents of the Skopje region. The findings also expose deeply rooted public scepticism: over 60% believe CSOs serve private interests, and nearly the same proportion think they are foreign-funded to promote external agendas. Despite this, CSOs are still recognized for their role in shaping public policy (45.1%) and contributing to social impact (44.8%). Trust is highest in organisations working on gender equality, social care, and education, while the sharpest decline was recorded in those working on democracy and rule of law—falling from 48.1% in 2021 to just 27.2% in 2024. Read more here.
Source: Macedonian Center for International Cooperation – MCIC
