For human rights, 2020 is a difficult year. While many authoritarian regimes – in the shadow of the Corona pandemic – were able to restrict human rights far beyond an appropriate response to the virus, the international community is struggling to condemn those violations. Each and every country seems too preoccupied with itself.

Therefore, it is even more important to recognise those achievements that are countering this trend. One such positive beacon of hope is Zoran Zaev, Prime Minister of North Macedonia. Zaev’s achievements lie not only in the conclusion of the Friendship Treaty with Bulgaria in 2017 and the Prespa Agreement with Greece, which ended a 27-year-long name dispute, but above all in North Macedonia itself. Already as leader of the opposition, Zaev emerged as an important figure who stood up for civil and human rights of all Macedonians and peacefully advocated for new elections in the context of the "colourful revolution" movement.

After many disappointments, Zaev’s determined reform agenda led to the EU member states’ decision to open accession negotiations between the EU and North Macedonia in March and paved the way for North Macedonia to join NATO as its 30th member.

In awarding this year’s Human Rights Award, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung paid tribute to Zoran Zaev's outstanding achievements. We are honoured that with Heiko Maas, Germany’s Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs, who is particularly committed to fostering EU accession of the Western Balkans during the German EU Presidency, delivered the laudatory speech.

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