Skopje, 3 July 2024 (MIA) - The ambassadors of the European Union and the Netherlands to North Macedonia, David Geer and Dirk Jan Kop, addressed a conference Wednesday focused on the Judicial Council’s progress in the implementation of the EU peer review mission’s recommendations, where they stressed the importance of internal reforms and improving the public’s trust in the judiciary.

The EU Ambassador noted the importance of resuming swift internal reforms and suppressing attempts at interference by political or corporate interests.

“It’s clear what needs to be done – continue with quick internal reforms. This means, as I said, a complete implementation of the peer review mission’s recommendations, the roadmap for the rule of law and the strategy on the judiciary. This means upgrading some of the positive collective steps we witnessed over the last six months and suppressing the attempts to interfere by political or corporate interests,” Geer said.

Geer warned that a potential dissolution of the Judicial Council and the Council of Public Prosecutors would represent direct interference in the independence of the judiciary, and stressed that such a move would cause serious concern in the European Union.

“The efforts to strengthen the rule of law should not be done in a way that would undermine the principle of separation of powers. For example, the dissolution of the Judicial Council and the Council of Public Prosecutors would mean interfering in the independence of the judiciary and would be an issue of serious concern. The same applies to the idea of splitting the Academy for Judges and Public Prosecutors, an institution that we believe should serve as a guarantee of meritocracy and impartiality in the judiciary,” Geer said.

Dutch Ambassador Dirk Jan Kop stressed the necessity of restoring the public’s trust in the judiciary.

“It is necessary to restore the people’s trust in the judicial system, like in my country, where 80 percent of people trust the judicial system, whereas here it’s only 8 percent. This is a worryingly low percentage and should be improved fast,” Kop said.

United States Ambassador Angela Aggeler and Judicial Council president Vesna Dameva also spoke at the conference. 

Photo: MIA