Skopje, 26 December 2023 (MIA) – The Council of Public Prosecutors will hold its 94th session on Wednesday, during which it will provide an opinion on the candidates for the post of chief public prosecutor.

Three candidates have applied for the post of new chief public prosecutor – Fatime Fetai from the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office - Skopje, Lidija Raichevikj from the Basic Public Prosecutor's Office - Skopje and Ljupcho Kocevski from the Public Prosecutor's Office in the Republic of North Macedonia.

In line with the legal deadlines, the Council of Public Prosecutors should provide either a positive or a negative opinion to the Government within 15 days, after which the Government will propose one of the candidates that have received a positive opinion to the Parliament.

The Parliament's call for a new chief public prosecutor was published on November 29, 2023, after lawmakers voted to appoint a new public prosecutor.

Chief prosecutor Ljubomir Joveski's term in office ended on December 25. Last week, the Council of Public Prosecutors elected prosecutor Sonja Simovska as acting chief public prosecutor, until a new chief public prosecutor is chosen.

According to the Law on Public Prosecutor's Office, eligible candidates for chief public prosecutor are those who have at least 10 years' experience as a public prosecutor or as a criminal judge.

The chief public prosecutor is appointed by Parliament, at the proposal of the Government, with a term of office of six years, and they may be reelected to another term.

Joveski was appointed State Public Prosecutor on December 25, 2017, succeeding Marko Zvrlevski who had been dismissed in August 2017.

Photo: MIA Archive