SkopjeDiem Macedonia in English
At Monday’s hearing in the frames of Teodora Ristovska trial, defendant Mensur Pajaziti pled guilty and was sentenced to two years in prison. The case concerns the 2022 traffic accident in which, according to the charge, 22-year-old Ristovska was run over by Pajaziti, who was driving a BMW, while crossing a zebra crossing.
She succumbed to the injuries four days later at a clinic in Skopje. The verdict was met with fierce criticism from her family, the Ristovskis, who said justice was far from delivered.
Tetovo Basic Court Judge Judge Elvedin Ferati, while reading the verdict, said the two-year prison sentence should be a lesson and example for all traffic participants. On the other hand, the family’s attorney said it was illogical for there to be two different sentences over the same case.
She also had remarks about Pajaziti’s closing arguments, during which he’d read a message extending condolences to the family, but also spent half of the text, which he’d read for around 30 minutes, to criticise journalists for covering the case and reporting on him.
In the first trial, Pajaziti was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison. However, after his appeal, the Court of Appeals reduced it to two years behind bars. He appealed that verdict before the Supreme Court, which ordered a retrial.
