Skopje, 30 April 2025 (MIA) – The Judicial Council President Aleksandar Kambovski warned that without real financial autonomy, the judiciary cannot be truly independent. According to him, the current reform model is ineffective, and substantial changes can only be achieved through a new approach, legal changes and staff reinforcement.

In a media statement following the opening of the conference "Strengthening judicial independence and accountability through greater efficiency of procedures," Kambovski strongly criticized the fact that, despite good laws, the judiciary is not receiving the allocated funds and is blocked by bureaucratic procedures.

“Reform efforts should not be abandoned, but it is evident that past efforts have failed. What is needed is a change in the reform strategy, a shift in thinking, and above all, the judiciary must obtain the financial independence granted to it by law. Without that, judicial independence remains an illusion,” Kambovski said, adding that the problem lies not only in infrastructure, but also in human and technical resources.

About 200 court workers have not had their contracts renewed since March 31, and no new job ads have been posted, Kambovski said.

“Every hiring must be approved by the Ministry of Finance. But if we want the judiciary to be financially independent, we cannot keep waiting on approvals that sometimes never come,” he added.

Regarding transparency and trust, Kambovski said that individual resignations are not a solution to systematic problems.

“Resignations are not reforms. The Judicial Council has been significantly changed. The negative impression stems from its previous composition. Now, half of the Council has been replaced, which is how the constitutional framers envisioned it, continual rotation of new members. If we truly want reform, it must be done differently, by changing the law, shortening terms, and depoliticizing the Judicial and Prosecutor’s Councils. Simply replacing individuals achieves nothing. What’s the guarantee the new ones will be any better?” Kambovski said.

He said the election of the new Supreme Court president is nearly complete and should be on the Judicial Council's agenda soon.

The judicial conference titled “Strengthening judicial independence and accountability through greater efficiency of procedures,” organized by the Association of Judges of the Republic of North Macedonia with the support of the OSCE Mission in Skopje, focused on the necessity for substantial reforms, enhanced efficiency of judicial processes, and the promotion of judicial autonomy.

Photo: MIA archive