Politics in North Macedonia is holding justice reform hostage
The government has a plan B if it fails to secure a two-thirds majority on the law on public prosecution. Lawmakers yesterday voted for the need to pass such a law in a shortened procedure that would resolve the status of the Special Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Justice Minister Renata Deskoska called on the opposition to vote the law.
“In the event that no majority is found on the Public Prosecutor’s Law, all cases of the Special Public Prosecutor’s Office will be taken over and pursued by another public prosecutor’s office or, by amending the Law on the Council of Public Prosecutors, which is adopted by an ordinary majority, a solution will be found for the functioning of the Special Prosecutor’s Office”, Minister Deskoska said after the vote in Parliament.
VMRO-DPMNE opposition lawmaker Antonio Milososki has demanded the resignation of Minister Deskoska.
“We demand that Renata Deskoska resigns because during her mandate there was the biggest political and judicial scandal”, Milososki said.
The DUI imposes the need to veto all politicians, all judges and prosecutors without exception.
Opposition Besa seeks assurances that the new prosecution law will not amnesty SPO defendants.
The committee hearing is expected to begin next week so that parties have time to submit amendments to the law that should decide the future of the SPO.
Former diplomat of North Macedonia and presidential candidate Blerim Reka has said that North Macedonia should meet two conditions if it “does not go far beyond the start of negotiations in October”. According to him, there are two criteria related to the rule of law: the “Racket” case and the adoption of the Law on Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Prime Minister Zoran Zaev announced that by the end of September a solution should be found with regard to judiciary reforms, so that the country can have credible chances to get a date for the start of EU membership negotiations.