1 EU’S DEMOCRACY PROMOTION TOWARDS REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA THROUGH THE STANDARD OF FAIR AND DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS Ass. Prof. Ana Nikodinovska Krstevska, Faculty of Law, University Goce Delcev – Stip Ass. Prof. Natalija Shikova, Faculty of Law, International Balkan University - Skopje Abstract: The paper will analyze the promotion of democracy of the European Union towards Republic of Macedonia, with a focus on the implementation of the standard for providing fair and democratic elections. The research will be conducted by analyzing the European Commission progress reports for Republic of Macedonia with a cross reference to the election reports from ODHIR (OSCE). The purpose of the analysis will be to examine the value of democracy of the European Union in confront to its democracy promotion towards the Republic of Macedonia, in order to define the coherency and consistency of EU’s foreign policy towards Macedonia, that is to determine whether or not double standards exist between the EU’s vision of ‘democracy’ and what it really promotes in its foreign policy towards the Republic of Macedonia. The outcome of the analysis will give feedback about the impact of the European Union on Macedonia’s current political crisis. I. Introduction The political crisis that the Republic of Macedonia has been dealing with for some time, has questioned the functioning of the state’s legal system and its democratic credentials, that brought to the table a series of questions regarding legitimacy, legality and effectivness of the state’s democratic processes. In particular, there have been concerns about providing fair and democratic elections in the country throughout the years. In view of the fact that the EU has been monitoring the democratic performances of the state for more than 10 years, and yet the problem of Macedonia’s democratic credentials is still present and more than ever evident, the question that is being posed in this research is: To what extent do the EU Progress Reports towards Republic of Macedonia reflect EU’s value of democracy as enshrined in its treaties, acquis communautaire and policies, and