Skopje, 2 November 2023 (MIA) - Minister of Justice Krenar Lloga said Thursday he would re-submit the law on amnesty to the Parliament, this time through regular procedure, after MPs did not support the law's adoption through expedited procedure earlier in the day.

"Today, Macedonia is a more unjust country than yesterday. I see this lack of support for the law as retaliation against me and my party because of the Criminal Code amendments," said Minister Lloga and expressed hope that lawmakers voted against the law due to the expedited procedure.

According to him, there is no Government crisis and "we are moving on".

"I will re-submit the motion through a regular procedure. If they want a déjà vu, they will get a chance to vote for this law again. Laws that concern 'big fish' are being adopted overnight but I have said from day one that I am on the side of the people, and this will be the case until my final day in the post," said Lloga.

He said the law did not relate to specific people but to crimes.

"This is not the minister's law on pardoning. I draft the law relating to crimes not specific people. Only the President has the right to pardon," said Lloga.

With 66 votes against, 17 votes in favor and 3 abstentions, the Government's proposal on approving the law on amnesty in a fast-track procedure failed to receive support in Parliament.

"The primary goal is towards the alarming situation in the penitentiaries, both in terms of the conditions there and in terms of overcrowding. These recommendations and findings are made by many relevant institutions that note such conditions in their reports," said Minister Lloga while elaborating the need to pass the bill.

Photo: MIA