Skopje, 29 May 2024 (MIA) — The Council of Public Prosecutors discussed Wednesday the proceedings against its member Ixhet Memeti who has been put under precautionary measures over suspicions of bribery.

Memeti was recently charged with “accepting a reward for unlawful influence” and prohibited from leaving his place of residence, has had his travel documents seized and has been ordered to appear in court when summoned.

According to Council of Public Prosecutors members at the Wednesday session, Memeti should not take part in the work and decisions of the council while the criminal investigation against him is ongoing. At the same time, they also noted they had no legal means of dismissing him.

Member Keti Petkova said the Law on the Council of Public Prosecutors did not provide for the possibility of a member's dismissal over ongoing criminal proceedings.

"Our hands as a Council are tied to be able to eliminate the member's influence in any way," Petkova said, adding that this would have been "the most logical" decision. 

Still, she aded, "we cannot remain silent and not point to the detected flaws related to acting on this issue," she said.

According to her, the open criminal probe and the search carried out in the council have jeopardized the integrity of the Council of Public Prosecutors as an institution and their integrity as members.

Member Svetlana Zhupanovska said it was up to Memeti and his honor to decide whether to take part in the council's work.

Member Antonio Jolevski agreed with his colleagues and recommended that Memeti not take part in their decisions as a council.

"We leave it to the member's conscience and morals to decide if he would take part. I would recommend he does not take part, especially in our decisions on appointing or dismissing, because it is in those very situations that our credibility will be called into question," Jolevski said.

Following the session, Council of Public Prosecutors chair Dushica Dimitrieska told the press that the council would be closely following the criminal proceedings against Memeti and the outcome would determine their legal actions.

She said there was a possibility for a council member to be dismissed, but in this case it was impossible.

The dismissal procedure could be set in motion following a request submitted by at least 20 public prosecutors and one third of the total number of council members, she said. 

"This request should be supported by evidence, but in this case it cannot be submitted," Dimitrieska said.

She added that the council cannot prohibit Memeti from attending their sessions. Only a court decision could do this, she said.

Earlier, at the beginning of the Wednesday session, Dimitrieska said Memeti had let her know that he would not be attending the session. 

He had also told her that he had been thinking about resigning from his post as council vice chair, she said.

Memeti is the second suspect in a bribery investigation against prime suspect and Supreme Court judge Nake Georgiev. Prosecutors launched the probe against Georgiev after his arrest on Monday when he was caught in the act of “accepting a reward for unlawful influence” and later stripped of his judicial immunity.

According to the Law on the Council of Public Prosecutors, the council may dismiss a member if at least six members vote for the decision. Of them, at least three members need to be elected by public prosecutors and three members need to be appointed by Parliament. mr/