Skopje, the government demands the dismissal of the chief prosecutor

2025-02-25 19:45:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The government of North Macedonia today approved the proposal to dismiss the Prosecutor General, while waiting for the Prosecutorial Council to make the decision. The government of Prime Minister Hristijan Mickovski believes that Chief Prosecutor Ljubco Kocevski is working outside the legal norms and has damaged the image of the judiciary. If the Council does not dismiss Mr. Kocevski, then the matter will go to parliament, where half the number of lawmakers is needed to dismiss him from office. The opposition sees this as an interference in the independence of the judiciary by Mr. Mickovski's VMRO.

The government of North Macedonia insists on the dismissal of the Prosecutor General, Ljubco Kocevski, but the legal procedures for this seem not to be simple and the matter could drag on for weeks or even months.

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickovski emphasizes that the Chief Prosecutor has not shown efficiency in his work; that he has acted illegally and under the influence of politics; that he has ruined the image and credibility of the prosecution, while also suspecting actions related to corruption.

The government cannot dismiss the chief prosecutor, but asks the Republican Council of Prosecutors to do so.

"The law is clear. We as a government cannot dismiss him, but after we have sent the request to the Prosecutors' Council, we must wait 15 days for the response," said Mr. Mickovski.

The Council, meanwhile, awaits solid arguments from the government to make a decision regarding the request for Mr. Kocevski's dismissal.

Chief Prosecutor Kocevski denies the accusations, while telling the media in Skopje that he has enforced the law and "if violations of rules and laws are proven" on his part, he "would personally resign."

Professor Mersim Maksuti from the University of Tetova, in a conversation with Voice of America, explains that it is the Parliament as the last institution that can dismiss or not the chief prosecutor, since he is elected by the legislators. Meanwhile, Mr. Maksuti analyzes what is considered political interference in this effort:

"This is the most sensitive issue, especially when such a procedure, such an initiative comes only a year after his election as head of the Public Prosecutor's Office of the country. It is a very controversial issue, although at first glance it seems like there is political interference because the prosecution is indeed an independent body by law, but looking at it in general it is not so easy to explain because the prosecution is not the judicial power, it is not a court. The courts have absolute power by constitution, while the prosecution, in a way, is not completely independent although independent. This means that the action of the prosecution depends on other executive bodies", says Mr. Maksuti.

On the other hand, legal expert Maksuti, as well as a number of his colleagues, emphasize the need for genuine reforms in the judiciary.

According to polls, only 2 to 3 percent of North Macedonian citizens trust the judiciary, and officials from the United States have reacted to this in the past, from where millions of dollars have been spent on training North Macedonian prosecutors and judges./ VOA