Skopje, 10 March 2026 (MIA) - The Government will make a decision on a new state public prosecutor at its session today, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski told reporters on Tuesday.  

"The Government will hold a session shortly today, and this session will reveal to the public the name of the future chief prosecutor, it will be submitted to Parliament," said Mickoski after overseeing the wastewater treatment plant construction in Kuchevishka Bara, Chucher Sandevo Municipality. 

Five candidates submitted applications for the Parliament’s public call for election of the Public Prosecutor of the Republic of North Macedonia, including acting chief public prosecutor Anita Topolova-Isajlovska, prosecutor Lenche Ristovska, Criminal Court judge Nenad Savevski, former Criminal Court president Vladimir Panchevski and Skopje-based prosecutor Lidija Raichevikj. 

The Council of Public Prosecutors reviewed on February 17, 2026, the five candidates running for state public prosecutor and approved the candidacies of current acting state public prosecutor Anita Topolova Isajlovska, public prosecutor Lenche Ristovska, Criminal Court justice Nenad Savevski and public prosecutor Lidija Raichevikj. It rejected the candidacy of former Criminal Court head Vladimir Panchevski over unmet seniority requirements. 

In a TV interview last month, PM Mickoski said the Government is only considering three of the forwarded candidates, and not Lenche Ristoska, who was a prosecutor in the former Special Prosecutor’s Office. 

Anita Topolova Isajlovska was elected acting state chief public prosecutor, succeeding Ljupcho Kocevski who resigned on December 17, 2025. Topolova Isajlovska serves as chief state public prosecutor until a new one is elected, no longer than six months.

According to the Law on the Public Prosecutor’s Office, received applications are forwarded to the Government. After the applications are submitted, the Government requests an opinion from the Council of Public Prosecutors on all candidates. The Council is obliged to provide reasoned opinions within 15 days. If the Council does not give a positive opinion on any of the candidates, the Government cannot submit a proposal and recommends that Parliament announce a new call. A new state public prosecutor must be elected with 61 votes from the MPs.

Photo: MIA