About the Foundation

Profile of the Foundation Open Society Institute – Macedonia

The Foundation Open Society Institute – Macedonia (FOSIM) was founded in 1992 as a foreign entity representative office, and in 1999 as a national legal entity – foundation, in accordance with the Law on Associations of Citizens and Foundations. FOSIM is part of the Soros network in Central and Eastern Europe.

FOSIM's mission is integration of Macedonia within as a prerequisite for EU integration.

Dedicated to the promotion of an open society, FOSIM initiates supports and implements a wide spectrum of programs. The Foundation addresses its objectives by:

• providing grants, awards, loans and other types of financial support on a one-time or continuing basis to individuals and legal entities that engage in activities consistent with the FOSIM mission.

• implementing operational programs for the promotion of innovative ideas and for the development and growth of individuals and legal entities having activities relative to the FOSIM mission, and

• performing other humanitarian and development activities that the Founder and the Managing Board may find adequate for fulfilling the FOSIM mission.

The principle governing body of FOSIM is a Managing Board, consisted of seven reputable individuals of different ethnic and professional backgrounds. There are expert committees or consultants engaged in most program areas, which give professional advice to the program coordinators. The person authorized to represent FOSIM in front of other legal entities and individuals and sign for FOSIM is the Executive Director.

The Foundation will continue its commitment to enhance Macedonia's prospects for EU accession by fostering internal integration as a prerequisite. Dedicated to promoting and supporting open society across the program areas of education, law, public administration and local self-government, civil society, public health, information, media and economic reform, FOSIM will implement a range of initiatives varying from capacity-building to policy and social advocacy projects. Responding to the different needs of various target groups, especially youth, Roma and SMGs, FOSIM will cooperate with other NGOs, international institutions and donors in undertaking actions that foster sustained democracy.

Considering the context and driven by its mission, the following overall priorities for the next three-year period were determined:

1. Accelerating EU accession of Macedonia, cross-program policy and social advocacy actions to steer the Government back onto EU track; strengthening civil society’s monitoring role for transparency and accountability of the Government; supporting efficient decentralization as an EU value safeguarding local democracy.
2. Integration of Roma and socially marginalized groups, cross-program interventions aiming to improve the status of Roma and SMGs.
3. Decreasing the gap between youth and open society values, cross-program activities offering alternative space and content and supporting social action of youth.

FOSIM Mission

Internal integration of Macedonia as a prerequisite for EU accession.

Executive Board

Gordana Duvnjak, Chair
Ace Kocevski
Biljana Angelova
Zharko Trajanoski
Margarita Caca - Nikolovska
Marjan Zabrchanec
Redzep Ali Chupi

All the members of FOSIM's Executive Board since 1992

Management:

Vladimir Milcin, Executive Director, ext. 155
Slavica Inzdevska, Director for Joint Programs; East-East Program, ext. 105
Zoran Cali, Administrative Director, ext. 104

Organizational Set-Up 

All the members of FOSIM’s Executive Board 

Frequently asked questions 

George Soros 

OSI's Mission