President Gordana Siljanovska Davkova’s pardons on the occasion of Macedonian Revolutionary Struggle Day have sparked controversy.
The six-month prison sentence for Shenol Masllani from Aracinovo, who was five years ago arrested in a spectacular operation carried out by the Interior Ministry (drugs, luxury cars, an attacked officer, and weapons were being mentioned), has been replaced with a suspended one.
Former Bitola Mayor Vladimir Taleski, convicted in the Transporter case initiated by the now-defunct Special Prosecutor’s Office (SPO), has received a partial mitigation of the sentence, that is, it has been shortened by one year.
The most problematic choice of the President and her Pardons Commission is the decision to replace the 15-month prison sentence for Aqif Ravmanoski (aka Aqif Jusufi), who’s part of the Cair-based Baron clan, with a suspended one. Jusufi is under investigation for an armed attack against a 35-year-old that took place around 10 days ago.
Former intelligence agent Marjan Efremov, who received a long prison sentence in the controversial Spy case, is among those covered by the pardons as well. His sentence has been reduced by three months.