Skopje, 6 February 2025 (MIA) - SDSM leader Venko Filipche urged against new partisanship in the judiciary and urged a non-partisan approach to judicial reforms in a response Thursday to Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski’s statement that VMRO-DPMNE's MPs will submit an initiative for the dismissal of the members of the Judicial Council.

“We need fundamental reforms of the judiciary, and this is what the citizens expect. But reforms that will mean an independent and efficient judiciary that will deliver justice. We mustn’t allow the citizens’ demand for justice to be turned into new partisanship and occupation [of the judiciary] with the replacement of the Judicial Council by the ruling parties,” Filipche wrote in a post on his official Facebook page.

The opposition leader urged that all future steps and reforms of the judiciary are made with the consensus of all parties in Parliament.

“We need a national, non-partisan approach that will ensure reforms in line with the European recommendations. This requires the establishment of a joint working group in Parliament that will define, control and jointly implement reforms in this sensitive area. If VMRO-DPMNE has sincere intentions, they will accept this. Otherwise, it will mean they have completely different intentions,” Filipche wrote.

Earlier on Thursday, the Prime Minister said VMRO-DPMNE MPs will put forward a motion to dismiss members of the Judicial Council.

"The country and its citizens need justice, and justice can be achieved through deep reforms and serious changes against practices of abuse that have taken deep roots in the system. Macedonia must fight against its corrupt swamp that holds it captive and hostage and is a cause of its decay and disappointment among many of its citizens. Therefore, VMRO-DPMNE MPs will put forward a motion to dismiss the members of the Judicial Council, which, in my deep conviction, is part of the system that remains the main stronghold of corruption, injustice and disappointment. Macedonia must win!," PM Mickoski posted on Facebook.

Implementing fundamental reforms in the judiciary and dissolving the Judicial Council and the Council of Public Prosecutors was one of the pledges in the election program and a key priority of the new VMRO-DPMNE led Government.

Photo: MIA Archive