CCPR UNITED NATIONS International covenant on civil and political rights Distr. GENERAL CCPR/C/79/Add.96 18 August 1998 Original: ENGLISH HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE Sixty-third session HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS SUBMITTED BY STATES PARTIES UNDER ARTICLE 40 OF THE COVENANT Concluding Observations of the Human Rights Committee The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 1. The Committee considered the initial report of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (CCPR/C/74/Add.4) at its 1685th, 1686th and 1687th meetings, held on 22 and 23 July 1998 (CCPR/C/SR.1685, 1686 and 1687) and adopted the following concluding observations at its 1696th meeting (CCPR/C/SR.1696), held on 29 July 1998. A. Introduction 2. The Committee expresses its appreciation to the State party for its comprehensive initial report, prepared largely in accordance with the Committee's guidelines. At the same time, it notes that the information provided in the report deals primarily with legal and institutional issues and does not contain sufficient data on the practical application of the Covenant. B. Factors and difficulties impeding the application of the Covenant 3. The Committee takes note of the statement of the delegation that the principal difficulty in ensuring effective implementation of the Covenant lies in the complex and difficult process of transition from a political and social environment shaped for decades by the concept of collective rights to a respect for the rights of individuals. It also notes that the same tradition GE.98-17648 (E)