Skopje, 3 April 2023 (MIA) - The Skopje-based Appellate Court has cancelled the first-instance ruling in the case dubbed "April 27 Organizers", which will be retried before the Criminal Court.

The court said on Monday it has sustained the complaints of the four defendants - former parliament speaker Trajko Veljanoski, former minister of education Spiro Ristovski, former minister of transport and communications Mile Janakieski and former secret police chief Vladimir Angelovski, who were sentenced to pricon terms ranging from six to six-and-a-half years.

According to the Appellate Court, provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code were violated during the court proceedings, which prevented the first-instance court to properly apply the substantive law - the Criminal Code.

It adds that the first-instance court insufficiently elaborated all disputed circumstances and failed to establish all facts that constitute the crime and its execution. It also violated the right to defense that affected the legality of the ruling, and the defendants' right to a fair trial because it did not sufficiently elaborate the provisions related to the law on pardoning.