Chief public prosecutor shouldn't interfere in prosecutors' concrete cases, says Ruskovska
Skopje, 1 August 2022 (MIA) - Vilma Ruskovska, the head of the prosecution for organized crime, has disputed a report prepared by the Public Prosecutor's Office, headed by Ljubomir Joveski, following searches ordered to be conducted at the Financial Police.
Speaking to Alsat-M TV, Ruskovska said the public prosecutor had no legal right to interfere in the handling of a case. Earlier, the Public Prosecutor's Office said that irregularities have been detected in the actions of the prosecutors conducting a search of the work of the Financial Police Director, Arafat Muaremi.
The institution said that the prosecutors have been asked to provide information, but Ruskovska denied that she was summoned to give a statement. "I was not asked to give a statement," she stated.
The Prosecutor's Office said that the Financial Police officials that had been searched hold police powers, thus only a specialized department prosecuting crimes done by law enforcement officials can launch proceedings against them.
"Does the [Financial Police] director has police powers since he is named by the government," asked Ruskovska.
When asked about the Prosecutor's Office detecting irregularities in the process of ordering search, approved by an authorized judge, the head of the prosecution for organized crime said the Court is in charge of deciding whether there are ground for issuing a search warrant.
"It is the Court that decides, not a public prosecutor. If someone thought the search was illegal, they could have logged a complain to the Criminal Council of the Court. As far as I know, no complaint was logged," Ruskovska said.