SDSM Says Government’s Decision on Kocevski Procedure Shows There’s Selectiveness in Kocani Investigation

On Thursday, SDSM again said there was selectiveness when it comes to the Kocani fire investigation. At the press-conference, Spokesperson Bogdanka Kuzeska criticised PM Hristijan Mickoski in relation to the Prosecutor-General Ljupco Kocevski dismissal procedure issue.

“Several weeks ago, the Prosecutor-General was under pressure to be dismissed directly by Mickoski. The Government started a procedure, there were verbal attacks publicly, a clear narrative was being created that he couldn’t be trusted.

Then, all of a sudden, a turnaround, he’s become “needed”, the procedure is being stopped, the Council of Public Prosecutor’s isn’t holding sessions, while Mickoski is calling for him to be given a chance. When the ineligible Prosecutor is becoming eligible and when the investigation is covering only those who held office in the past, it’s clear selective justice cannot be expected”, she stated.

In response, VMRO-DPMNE said that criticism from both SDSM and DUI was illogical considering that Kocevski, the Chief of the Skopje Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office, Gavril Bubevski, and the Chief of the Basic Public Prosecutors Office for Prosecution of Organised Crime and Corruption, Islam Abazi, “are all staff” of the two parties.

Also, the ruling party asked why SDSM didn’t want for there to be a committee of inquiry in the frames of Parliament when it came to matters and tragedies such as the 2021 Tetovo hospital fire, and the 2019 Laskarci and 2021 Struma bus accidents.