Xhaferi: Parliament works by Code, not by Dictation

The government and the opposition are yet to reach agreement over the draft-laws concerning the regulation of the Special Public Prosecution (SPO) both as an independent institution and as a part of the Basic Public Prosecution (PPO). In the latest developments, the Justice Minister and the head of the governmental negotiating team Renata Deskoska said that the draft-laws and law changes related to SPO should be processed and adopted by the Parliament sooner, prompting a reaction by the Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi. “The Parliament of the Republic of North Macedonia is working in accordance with a previously determined code, and not by dictation or individual pretentions of a minister or whoever,” Xhaferi wrote on Facebook. After this, Deskoska said that with his statement, Xhaferi provided solid grounds for postponing of the entire process. “By providing grounds for postponing of the negotiations, it turns out there is no need to rush these negotiations. I must concur that unfortunately this statement of Xhaferi affected the negotiations in a bad way,” Deskoska commented, calling upon all politicians and political factors to assist the negotiations on the laws on SPO. The acting US Ambassador to Macedonia Micaela Schweitzer-Bluhm also accented the importance of the adoption of these laws. “Judicial reforms cannot remain on paper only. PPO and SPO are the core of the efforts made by your country to prosecute crime and corruption and return the trust of the citizens in the judicial system,” Schweitzer-Bluhm said, adding that the US remains a partner of Macedonia in the improving of the judiciary.