Skopje, 2 July 2023 (MIA) – I am losing hope that we will be able to fix the judiciary by ourselves. The only hope I see is in the opening of chapters 23 and 24 and the involvement of the European Union’s mechanisms in that area, said Minister of Foreign Affairs Bujar Osmani on Sunday.

Asked about the US Department of State’s position regarding the political interference in the judiciary, Osmani stressed that the opening of negotiations is becoming crucial, not only for the overall perspective of the country, but also for its internal processes.

“We’ve tried everything, with the best legislation. Trust me there are no better laws and more radical laws than ours in the area of the judiciary, yet the problems remain,” said Osmani, in answer to a journalist’s question at Sunday’s press conference.

The Foreign Minister stressed “the EU is the only Solution,” adding that the politicians who talk about the fight against corruption, reforms and trust in the judiciary, while at the same time obstructing the opening of chapters 23 and 24, are engaging in pure demagogy and populism.

“The two don’t go together. There is no reform in the judiciary, no rebuilding of trust, no fight against corruption without the opening of chapters 23 and 24,” said Osmani.

Photo: MIA Archive