Skopje, 14 February 2025 (MIA) - The reform of the judiciary is the mother of all reforms. It has to be a priority, and I strongly believe that this is the platform that once the reforms are in place, corruption can be eliminated and investors are going to come back, which is very important for the country to prosper, the European Union’s Ambassador to North Macedonia, Michalis Rokas, told MRT in an interview Friday.

The Ambassador underscored the EU peer review mission’s recommendations and mentioned the EU’s rule of law report and country report.

“All that needs to be done to align the country with the standards of the EU with regard to the rule of law is there. So, it is all about the process. It is true they have several recommendations about the composition and the election of members of the Judicial Council, the dismissals, which are the mechanisms, but it is all about the process. It is about the mechanisms that need to be introduced, including the new laws that need to be implemented,” Rokas said.

The Ambassador stressed that the recommendations aren’t aimed against individuals in the judicial system, but stressed they are a set of “far-reaching recommendations” that if implemented “would allow the judiciary to be reinforced and work in an independent manner”.

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