Skopje, 28 March 2025 (MIA) - Anything that can be perceived as interference with the independence of the judiciary and the functioning of the Judicial Council is a matter of concern for the European Union, the EU Ambassador Michalis Rokas told journalists on Friday.

The Ambassador said the EU is closely monitoring all processes related to the dismissal of Judicial Council members and the Chief Prosecutor.

“Obviously, we are monitoring all these things you mentioned very closely. On the one hand we have given ample recommendations of how the reforms in the judiciary should happen, not only in our annual Report but also in the dedicated Rule of Law Report, but also especially, with regard to the Judicial Council, with the peer review mechanism proposals. That said, our position is that anything that can be perceived as interference with the independence of the judiciary and the functioning of the Judicial Council is a matter of concern for us, and we all know that the legal grounds for dismissing members of the Judicial Council are not linked to interpellations, there is a different procedure. So, all this we follow very closely, and obviously we want to see through the reforms that we are all waiting for, a very strong judiciary that also will be the basis to help the country to fight corruption which I understand, and rightly so, is the first priority,” Rokas said in answer to a journalist’s question about the interpellations of the members of the Judicial Council which were adopted in Parliament. 

Quizzed about how he views the suspension of the procedure for the dismissal of Chief Prosecutor Ljupcho Kocevski, the Ambassador said all procedures need to follow the European standards.

“Once again, it’s about the process, not the individual. We take note that this has been frozen, although there was a procedure prior to that. But I will insist, and I think this is what matters, the EU or what we are saying, what we are recommending it doesn't go against individuals, it is about forging a strong system that respects the independence of the judiciary and if all these dismissals or procedures they need to intervene with this agreed process which follows the European standards,” the Ambassador stressed.

Asked which areas he thinks the country’s reforms are lagging in the most, Rokas pointed to the rule of law and public administration reform.

“I would say two areas that we need to focus on – rule of law, is a key component for everything, and the other is public administration reform. We need a competent public administration to be able to pursue all the reforms. On the rule of law, we are working very hard, and we know that it is a big priority, it has stagnated in the past couple of years, so we need to see concrete steps forward very soon,” Rokas told journalists at a press conference. 

Photo: Ministry of European Affairs