Filkov Underlines Importance of Public Prosecutors’ Role in Judicial Reforms

At a National Convention on the EU session on Wednesday, Justice Minister Igor Filkov said the executive power couldn’t achieve judicial reforms on its own.

“Every public prosecutor, their dignity and professionalism, has the key role,” he stated.

At the event, the Minister also said a new court service law was being prepared. Regarding the European Commission’s Report, Filkov said it painted a realistic picture, adding that the country’s degree of readiness had been mildly raised when compared to the 2023 document. In his view, the issue of shorter trials in civil and criminal cases is one of the main challenges.

The Council tasked with monitoring the implementation of the Judiciary Strategy will be reactivated, he underlined.

Croatian expert Kristian Turkalj stated that constitutional changes were needed that would be adopted through full consensus, as was resolve, for society to be freed from the bad judiciary. Institutions should be more up to date when it comes to working on data of importance to proceedings, it was assessed at the session.

Prosecutor’s offices’ investigations last for years, despite there being 6-18-month deadlines, which, in turn, creates room for corruption too, according to participants. In that regard, journalist Vasko Maglesov stated that deadlines for offices had to be mandatory. The most common cause of human rights violation in North Macedonia is the long duration of proceedings, participants also agreed.

Reintroducing the longer sentences for high corruption, shortened as a result of last year’s Criminal Code changes, changing the Criminal Procedure Law in order to speed up trials, confiscation, and digitalization of the judiciary are among the mechanisms proposed by Prosecutor Lence Ristoska in order for there to be more efficient and quality justice.

Criminal Court Judge Daniela Aleksovska Stojanovska stated that inefficiency of court proceedings was one of the rule of law’s problems. She proposed that interoperability of courts be improved in order for data to be secured more swiftly.