Politics of the Republic of Macedonia
Encyclopedia
Politics of the Republic of Macedonia occurs within the framework of a parliamentary
representative democratic
republic
, whereby the Prime Minister
is the head of government
, and of a multi-party system
. Executive power
is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government
and parliament. The Judiciary
is independent of the executive and the legislature.
and Judicial. The Constitution
is the highest law of the country. The political institutions are constituted by the will of its citizens by secret ballot at direct and general elections. Its political system of parliamentary democracy was established with the Constitution
of 1991, which stipulates the basic principles of democracy and guarantees democratic civil freedom. The Elections for Representatives in the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia is held in October. The Assembly is composed of 120 Representatives, who are elected for a period of four years. Out of this number, 85 are elected according to the majority principle in 85 constituencies and 35 according to the proportional principle (the territory of the Republic of Macedonia representing one constituency). There are approximately 1.5 million voters registered in the General Electoral Roll for the election of Representatives in the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, assigned in 85 constituencies, in 2.973 polling stations. The voting for the Representatives according to the majority principle can be conducted in two electoral rounds, whereas the voting according to the proportional principle ends in the first round.
Out of 40 registered political parties, 28 have nominated candidates. 635 candidates have been proposed from 28 political parties, eight coalitions and eight private members. In the first round, the candidate who wins the majority of votes (50% of the total number of votes cast) will be elected, providing that the number of votes won is not less than 1/3 of the total number of registered voters in the constituency. Second round: If no candidate has won the required number of votes in the first round, the voting will be repeated in 14 days (1 of November, 1998). The first two candidates in a constituency, who have won the largest number of votes in the first round shall participate in the second round.The candidate who has won the largest number of votes from the votes cast in the second round shall be elected Representative.
17 lists of candidates have been submitted from 22 political parties, out of which independently from 12 political parties, from four coalitions and from one group of voters, and the total number of nominated candidates is 595. The D’Hondt formula
shall be applied for establishing the results of the vote. Only candidates’ lists, which have won at least 5% of the votes cast, may be represented in Assembly.
|Gjorge Ivanov
|VMRO-DPMNE
|12 May 2009
|-
|Prime Minister
|Nikola Gruevski
|VMRO-DPMNE
|27 August 2006
|}
Although in Macedonian, these roles have very similar titles ( "President of the Republic of Macedonia
" and "President of the Government of the Republic of Macedonia"
) it is much less confusing to refer to them in English as President
and Prime Minister
respectively. These are also the terms used in the English translation of the constitution
.
Ministers:
, the Democratic Union for Integration
, the Socialist Party of Macedonia
, and the Party for the Movement of Turks in Macedonia.
The members of the Government of the Republic of Macedonia are chosen by the Prime Minister and approved by the national Parliament
, however certain cabinet level positions are chosen by both President and Prime Minister, and approved by the Parliament.
(Sobranie) has 123 members, elected for a four year term, by proportional representation
.
: . The capital, Skopje
, is governed as a group of ten municipalities collectively referred to as "the City of Skopje". Municipalities in the Republic of Macedonia are units of local self-government. Neighbouring municipalities may establish cooperative arrangements.
,
BIS
,
CE
,
CEI
,
EAPC
,
EBRD
,
ECE,
FAO
,
IAEA
,
IBRD
,
ICAO
,
ICCt
,
ICRM
,
IDA
,
IFAD
,
IFC
,
IFRCS
,
ILO,
IMF
,
IMO
,
Interpol
,
IOC
,
IOM
(observer),
ISO
,
ITU
,
OPCW,
OSCE,
PCA
,
PFP
,
UN
,
UNCTAD
,
UNESCO
,
UNIDO
,
UPU
,
WCL,
WCO
,
WHO,
WIPO
,
WMO
,
WToO
,
WTrO
(observer)
Parliamentary system
A parliamentary system is a system of government in which the ministers of the executive branch get their democratic legitimacy from the legislature and are accountable to that body, such that the executive and legislative branches are intertwined....
representative democratic
Representative democracy
Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principle of elected individuals representing the people, as opposed to autocracy and direct democracy...
republic
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
, whereby the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia is the head of government of the Republic of Macedonia. He or she is the leader of a political coalition in the Macedonian parliament and the leader of the cabinet...
is the head of government
Head of government
Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...
, and of a multi-party system
Multi-party system
A multi-party system is a system in which multiple political parties have the capacity to gain control of government separately or in coalition, e.g.The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition in the United Kingdom formed in 2010. The effective number of parties in a multi-party system is normally...
. Executive power
Executive Power
Executive Power is Vince Flynn's fifth novel, and the fourth to feature Mitch Rapp, an American agent that works for the CIA as an operative for a covert counter terrorism unit called the "Orion Team."-Plot summary:...
is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
and parliament. The Judiciary
Judiciary
The judiciary is the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in the name of the state. The judiciary also provides a mechanism for the resolution of disputes...
is independent of the executive and the legislature.
Political System
The political system of the Republic of Macedonia consists of three branches: Legislative, ExecutiveExecutive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
and Judicial. The Constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
is the highest law of the country. The political institutions are constituted by the will of its citizens by secret ballot at direct and general elections. Its political system of parliamentary democracy was established with the Constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
of 1991, which stipulates the basic principles of democracy and guarantees democratic civil freedom. The Elections for Representatives in the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia is held in October. The Assembly is composed of 120 Representatives, who are elected for a period of four years. Out of this number, 85 are elected according to the majority principle in 85 constituencies and 35 according to the proportional principle (the territory of the Republic of Macedonia representing one constituency). There are approximately 1.5 million voters registered in the General Electoral Roll for the election of Representatives in the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, assigned in 85 constituencies, in 2.973 polling stations. The voting for the Representatives according to the majority principle can be conducted in two electoral rounds, whereas the voting according to the proportional principle ends in the first round.
Majority principle
85 Representatives - 85 ConstituenciesOut of 40 registered political parties, 28 have nominated candidates. 635 candidates have been proposed from 28 political parties, eight coalitions and eight private members. In the first round, the candidate who wins the majority of votes (50% of the total number of votes cast) will be elected, providing that the number of votes won is not less than 1/3 of the total number of registered voters in the constituency. Second round: If no candidate has won the required number of votes in the first round, the voting will be repeated in 14 days (1 of November, 1998). The first two candidates in a constituency, who have won the largest number of votes in the first round shall participate in the second round.The candidate who has won the largest number of votes from the votes cast in the second round shall be elected Representative.
Proportional Principle
35 representatives - 1 Constituency17 lists of candidates have been submitted from 22 political parties, out of which independently from 12 political parties, from four coalitions and from one group of voters, and the total number of nominated candidates is 595. The D’Hondt formula
D'Hondt method
The d'Hondt method is a highest averages method for allocating seats in party-list proportional representation. The method described is named after Belgian mathematician Victor D'Hondt who described it in 1878...
shall be applied for establishing the results of the vote. Only candidates’ lists, which have won at least 5% of the votes cast, may be represented in Assembly.
Presidents
- Kiro GligorovKiro GligorovKiro Gligorov , born May 3, 1917) was the first democratically elected President of the Republic of Macedonia. His son Vladimir Gligorov is the refounder of the Serbian Democratic Party.- Biography :...
(1991–1999) - Boris TrajkovskiBoris TrajkovskiTrajkovski died on 26 February 2004 in a plane crash en route to an economic conference in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The aircraft crashed in thick fog and heavy rain on a mountainside in southeastern Herzegovina, near the villages of Huskovici and Rotimlja some eight miles south-south-east...
(1999–2004) - Branko CrvenkovskiBranko CrvenkovskiBranko Crvenkovski leads the Republic of Macedonia's largest opposition party, the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia. He was Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia from 1992 to 1998 and again from 2002 to 2004, then President of the Republic of Macedonia from 2004 to 2009.Crvenkovski was...
(2004–2009) - Gjorge Ivanov (2009–present)
Executive branch
|President|Gjorge Ivanov
|VMRO-DPMNE
Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity
The Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization – Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity is a nationalist political party in the Republic of Macedonia. The party describes itself as a Christian democratic and pro-European political party which supports the admission of Macedonia to NATO...
|12 May 2009
|-
|Prime Minister
|Nikola Gruevski
Nikola Gruevski
Nikola Gruevski has been Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia since 27 August 2006. He has led VMRO-DPMNE since May 2003. He was Minister of Finance in the VMRO-DPMNE government led by Ljubčo Georgievski until September 2002.- Personal life :...
|VMRO-DPMNE
Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity
The Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization – Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity is a nationalist political party in the Republic of Macedonia. The party describes itself as a Christian democratic and pro-European political party which supports the admission of Macedonia to NATO...
|27 August 2006
|}
Although in Macedonian, these roles have very similar titles ( "President of the Republic of Macedonia
President of the Republic of Macedonia
The President of the Republic of Macedonia is the head of state of the Republic of Macedonia. The institution of the Presidency of the modern Republic of Macedonia began after the Macedonian declaration of independence on 8 September 1991. Its first president was Kiro Gligorov, the oldest president...
" and "President of the Government of the Republic of Macedonia"
Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia is the head of government of the Republic of Macedonia. He or she is the leader of a political coalition in the Macedonian parliament and the leader of the cabinet...
) it is much less confusing to refer to them in English as President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
and Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
respectively. These are also the terms used in the English translation of the constitution
Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia
The Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia is a codified constitution outlining the country's system of government and basic human rights.In 2001 it was announced that Macedonia had adopted a new Constitution which enshrined 15 basic rights and has granted rights to the country's ethnic Albanian...
.
The President
- cannot hold any other public office or position in a political party
- is elected for a 5 year term and can serve a maximum of two terms
- is Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and President of the Security Council
- nominates a candidate from the majority party or parties in the Assembly who then proposes the Government who are elected by the Assembly
- makes diplomatic appointments and some judicial and Security Council appointments
- grants decorations, honours and pardons
The Government
The power of the President is fairly limited with all other executive power being vested in what the Constitution describes as the Government, i.e. the Prime Minister and Ministers.Ministers:
- cannot be Representatives in the Assembly
- cannot hold any other public office or follow a profession while in office
- are elected by a majority vote in the Assembly
- are granted immunity
- cannot be called for service in the Armed Forces
- propose laws, budget and regulations to be adopted by the Assembly
- control diplomatic policy
- make other state appointments
Current Government
The current government is a coalition of VMRO-DPMNEInternal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity
The Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization – Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity is a nationalist political party in the Republic of Macedonia. The party describes itself as a Christian democratic and pro-European political party which supports the admission of Macedonia to NATO...
, the Democratic Union for Integration
Democratic Union for Integration
The Democratic Union for Integration is the largest Albanian political party in the Republic of Macedonia, and the third largest political party in all of Macedonia...
, the Socialist Party of Macedonia
Socialist Party of Macedonia
The Socialist Party of Macedonia is a political party in the Republic of Macedonia founded on 22 September 1990 as a successor of the Socialist Alliance of the Working People of Macedonia. The SPM proclaims that it is a left-wing democratic socialist party. The SPM was part of the coalition...
, and the Party for the Movement of Turks in Macedonia.
The members of the Government of the Republic of Macedonia are chosen by the Prime Minister and approved by the national Parliament
Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia
The Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia, the Assembly , has 123 members, elected for a four year term, by proportional representation from 6 electoral districts, each contributing 20 MPs.- Result :...
, however certain cabinet level positions are chosen by both President and Prime Minister, and approved by the Parliament.
| Member | Portfolio |
|---|---|
| Zoran Stavreski | Deputy Prime Minister in charge of Finance |
| Abdilaqim Ademi Abdilaqim Ademi Abdilaqim Ademi is Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia.-References:... |
Deputy Prime Minister in charge of Framework Agreement Implementation |
| Vladimir Peshevski | Deputy Prime Minister in charge of Economic Affairs |
| Vasko Naumovski | Deputy Prime Minister in charge of European Integration |
| Antonio Miloshoski | Minister of Foreign Affaris |
| Zoran Konjanovski | Minister of Defense |
| Gordana Jankuloska | Minister of Internal Affairs |
| Mihajlo Manevski | Minister of Justice |
| Mile Janakieski | Minister of Transport and Communication |
| Fatmir Besimi Fatmir Besimi Fatmir Besimi is a Macedonian politician and economist of Albanian nationality. He served twice as Minister of Economy of Macedonia , while currently he serves as the country's Minister of Defence... |
Minister of Economy |
| Ljupcho Dimovski | Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Watersupply |
| Bujar Osmani Bujar Osmani Bujar Osmani is the Minister of Health of the Republic of Macedonia, appointed in March 2008. He was previously a doctor at the Public Hospital in Skopje.-References:... |
Minister of Health |
| Nikola Todorov | Minister of Education and Science |
| Ivo Ivanovski | Minister of Information Society |
| Musa Xhaferi | Minister of Local Self-Government |
| Elizabeta Kancheska Milevska | Minister of Culture |
| Xhelal Bajrami | Minister of Labor and Social Policy |
| Nexhati Jakupi | Minister of Environment and Physical Planning |
| Hadi Neziri | Minister without Portfolio |
| Nexhdet Mustafa | Minister without Portfolio |
| Vele Samak | Minister without Portfolio |
| Miroslav Stojanovski | Chief of General staff of the Arm Forces |
| Zoran Jolevski Zoran Jolevski H.E. Ph.D. Zoran Jolevski is a Macedonian diplomat and the ambassador of the Republic of Macedonia to the United States of America. In November 2008, he was appointed chief negotiator to the Macedonia naming dispute, and beginning 2011 he was appointed Ambassador to the United Mexican States and... |
Special Envoy and Chief Negotiator of the Macedonia name disupte |
Legislative branch
The AssemblyAssembly of the Republic of Macedonia
The Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia, the Assembly , has 123 members, elected for a four year term, by proportional representation from 6 electoral districts, each contributing 20 MPs.- Result :...
(Sobranie) has 123 members, elected for a four year term, by proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
.
Political parties and elections
Judicial branch
Judiciary power is exercised by courts, with the court system being headed by the Judicial Supreme Court, Constitutional Court and the Republican Judicial Council. The assembly appoints the judges.Administrative divisions
With the passage of a new law and elections held in 2005, local government functions are divided between 78 municipalities ' onMouseout='HidePop("85156")' href="/topics/Grammatical_number">singularGrammatical number
In linguistics, grammatical number is a grammatical category of nouns, pronouns, and adjective and verb agreement that expresses count distinctions ....
: . The capital, Skopje
Skopje
Skopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia with about a third of the total population. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre...
, is governed as a group of ten municipalities collectively referred to as "the City of Skopje". Municipalities in the Republic of Macedonia are units of local self-government. Neighbouring municipalities may establish cooperative arrangements.
Ethnic diversity
The country's main political divergence is between the largely ethnically-based political parties representing the country's Macedonian majority and Albanian minority. The issue of the power balance between the two communities led to a brief war in 2001, following which a power-sharing agreement was reached. In August 2004, the Republic's parliament passed legislation redrawing local boundaries and giving greater local autonomy to ethnic Albanians in areas where they predominate.Foreign relations
The Republic is member of the ACCTAgence de Coopération Culturelle et Technique
The Agence de coopération culturelle et technique was founded in 1970 and was the precursor to what is now the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie....
,
BIS
Bank for International Settlements
The Bank for International Settlements is an intergovernmental organization of central banks which "fosters international monetary and financial cooperation and serves as a bank for central banks." It is not accountable to any national government...
,
CE
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
,
CEI
Central European Initiative
The Central European Initiative is a forum of regional cooperation in Central, Eastern and South Eastern Europe, counting 18 member states. It was formed in Budapest in 1989.-History:...
,
EAPC
Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council
The Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council , a NATO institution, is a multilateral forum created to improve relations between NATO and non-NATO countries in Europe and those parts of Asia on the European periphery. The member states meet to cooperate and consult on a range of political and security issues...
,
EBRD
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Founded in 1991, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development uses the tools of investment to help build market economies and democracies in 30 countries from central Europe to central Asia. Its mission was to support the formerly communist countries in the process of establishing their...
,
ECE,
FAO
Food and Agriculture Organization
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is a specialised agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and...
,
IAEA
International Atomic Energy Agency
The International Atomic Energy Agency is an international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. The IAEA was established as an autonomous organization on 29 July 1957...
,
IBRD
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
,
ICAO
International Civil Aviation Organization
The International Civil Aviation Organization , pronounced , , is a specialized agency of the United Nations. It codifies the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth...
,
ICCt
International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression .It came into being on 1 July 2002—the date its founding treaty, the Rome Statute of the...
,
ICRM
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is an international humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers, members and staff worldwide which was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure respect for all human beings, and to prevent and alleviate human...
,
IDA
International Development Association
The International Development Association , is the part of the World Bank that helps the world’s poorest countries. It complements the World Bank's other lending arm — the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development — which serves middle-income countries with capital investment and...
,
IFAD
International Fund for Agricultural Development
The International Fund for Agricultural Development , a specialized agency of the United Nations, was established as an international financial institution in 1977 as one of the major outcomes of the 1974 World Food Conference. IFAD is dedicated to eradicating rural poverty in developing countries...
,
IFC
International Finance Corporation
The International Finance Corporation promotes sustainable private sector investment in developing countries.IFC is a member of the World Bank Group and is headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States....
,
IFRCS
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is a humanitarian institution that is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement along with the ICRC and 186 distinct National Societies...
,
ILO,
IMF
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
,
IMO
International Maritime Organization
The International Maritime Organization , formerly known as the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization , was established in Geneva in 1948, and came into force ten years later, meeting for the first time in 1959...
,
Interpol
Interpol
Interpol, whose full name is the International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation...
,
IOC
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
,
IOM
International Organization for Migration
The International Organization for Migration is an intergovernmental organization. It was initially established in 1951 as the Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration to help resettle people displaced by World War II....
(observer),
ISO
International Organization for Standardization
The International Organization for Standardization , widely known as ISO, is an international standard-setting body composed of representatives from various national standards organizations. Founded on February 23, 1947, the organization promulgates worldwide proprietary, industrial and commercial...
,
ITU
International Telecommunication Union
The International Telecommunication Union is the specialized agency of the United Nations which is responsible for information and communication technologies...
,
OPCW,
OSCE,
PCA
Permanent Court of Arbitration
The Permanent Court of Arbitration , is an international organization based in The Hague in the Netherlands.-History:The court was established in 1899 as one of the acts of the first Hague Peace Conference, which makes it the oldest institution for international dispute resolution.The creation of...
,
PFP
Partnership for Peace
Partnership for Peace is a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation program aimed at creating trust between NATO and other states in Europe and the former Soviet Union; 22 States are members...
,
UN
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
,
UNCTAD
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development was established in 1964 as a permanent intergovernmental body. It is the principal organ of the United Nations General Assembly dealing with trade, investment, and development issues....
,
UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
,
UNIDO
United Nations Industrial Development Organization
The United Nations Industrial Development Organization , French/Spanish acronym ONUDI, is a specialized agency in the United Nations system, headquartered in Vienna, Austria...
,
UPU
Universal Postal Union
The Universal Postal Union is an international organization that coordinates postal policies among member nations, in addition to the worldwide postal system. The UPU contains four bodies consisting of the Congress, the Council of Administration , the Postal Operations Council and the...
,
WCL,
WCO
World Customs Organization
The World Customs Organization is an intergovernmental organization headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. With its worldwide membership, the WCO is recognized as the voice of the global customs community...
,
WHO,
WIPO
World Intellectual Property Organization
The World Intellectual Property Organization is one of the 17 specialized agencies of the United Nations. WIPO was created in 1967 "to encourage creative activity, to promote the protection of intellectual property throughout the world"....
,
WMO
World Meteorological Organization
The World Meteorological Organization is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 189 Member States and Territories. It originated from the International Meteorological Organization , which was founded in 1873...
,
WToO
World Tourism Organization
The World Tourism Organization , based in Madrid, Spain, is a United Nations agency dealing with questions relating to tourism. It compiles the World Tourism rankings. The World Tourism Organization is a significant global body, concerned with the collection and collation of statistical information...
,
WTrO
World Trade Organization
The World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948...
(observer)