SkopjeDiem Macedonia in English
At Monday’s roundtable on the topic of whether North Macedonia needs a Constitutional Court law, US Ambassador Angela Aggeler called on Judges to use the moment and to remember who they worked for and why they’d been elected. No matter how complicated laws in North Macedonia are, she added, work can be and has to be to the benefit of citizens.
“I don’t believe I exaggerate when I say that this is a really key moment not only for the Constitutional Court, but also for your colleagues everywhere around the judiciary and, most importantly, for citizens of this country”, the Ambassador stressed.
As a friend and partner, the US supports the judiciary’s work in order to ensure justice stays accessible, unbiased, and rooted in constitutional values, the Ambassador emphasized as well. In her address, she also underlined the need for transparency.
EU Ambassador Michalis Rokas said that constitutional judiciary reform was one of the most important ones because the Constitutional Court played a very important role not only with regards to providing the rule of law, but also in terms of protection of European values.
The Constitutional Court’s authority, impartiality, and resilience are exceptionally important to the rule of law in the country, as well as a very important step on the country’s path to membership in the EU, he pointed out. German Ambassador Drexler said constitutional courts around the world played a very important role in providing protection of fundamental rights and separation of powers. That, she stressed, encourages and promotes the democratic society and supports the rule of law.
President Gordana Siljanovska Davkova stated that her view is that the Court should have been reformed a long time ago. As she stressed, it’s good that the debate is happening precisely at the “most unreformed” institution.
“If you ask me, I am in favour of an expanded competence of the Court. An expanded competence cannot be regulated by adopting a law. First, let the list of protection of freedoms and rights be expanded. Then, let’s specify that the Constitutional Court will have a right to intervene in the period between the signing of international agreements and them entering into force”, the President pointed out.
The Court’s President, Kostadinovski, when it comes to issue of whether a law is needed, said that there had been over the past 30 years two complementary constants, that is, first, why a status quo was needed and who needed it, and, second, the debate on the election in terms of who could be a Judge of the Court according to the law, as well as the institution’s work.
“In my view, a Constitutional Court law is needed. However, not any law, but rather a two-thirds one or let the Croatian model be applied and let a constitutional law be adopted that will further regulate the work of Constitutional Court Judges”, he stressed.
Citizens, Kostadinovski pointed out, should know who the Judges are, while Judges should publicly come out. That way, the Court’s President stated, a dam will be formed as to who can be a Constitutional Court Judge.
