Skopje, 8 November 2022 (MIA) - Islam Abazi, the newly elected Public Prosecutor of the Basic Public Prosecutor's Office for Organized Crime and Corruption, sees the work in this public prosecutor's office as a challenge and believes that with his previous experience and work, he will be a professional and legitimate representative. His priorities are to fill the vacant prosecutor's positions and the vacant positions in the investigation center, and to introduce digitization in the public prosecutor's office. Abazi sees the number of votes (66) he received from fellow public prosecutors as great responsibility and motivation to manage this, as he said, the most important public prosecutor's office, which is in charge of the fight against organized crime and corruption, as best as he can. "Although I did not have a program, I was in constant communication with the public prosecutors and presented them with my vision, program and project," said Abazi, pointing out that he received votes from all appellate areas. According to Abazi, the election by voting in direct elections is a guarantee there will be no external influences, neither political nor business or lobby groups. In terms of transparency, Abazi said the Law on the Public Prosecutor's Office specified they are obliged to be transparent and to inform about the work in some cases in the public interest, but also that the reputation and dignity of the defendant, the victims and all participants in the procedure should be preserved. Abazi started his career as a public prosecutor in the Kichevo PPO, then for five years in the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office and for four years he was the head of the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office Gostivar. "It is a challenge for me, taking into account my previous experience, to manage this prosecutor's office as well. I have taken part in various working groups for the adoption of laws and bylaws, regulations, commentary on the Law on the Public Prosecutor's Office, I am also part of the working group on the law on asset confiscation," said Abazi. Asked if he is in close relations with DUI, Abazi said that the office of public prosecutor is incompatible with holding another public office or being a member of a political party. "I have never been or am a member of any political party. Nor in my work so far have I given the impression that I have certain relations or positions with a certain political party," said Abazi and added that he has no personal contacts with Ali Ahmeti or anyone else from DUI. dk/ik/