Skopje, 20 August 2024 (MIA) - The Government reaffirms its position over a need for fundamental reforms in the judiciary and dissolution of the Judicial Council and the Council of Public Prosecutors. We are open to ideas that we would apply if they are better than the Government programme, said Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski after a meeting with Judicial Council chair Vesna Dameva on Tuesday.

"Our position is that the judiciary is in need of fundamental changes. We are not the only ones who think this, since all public opinion polls show the citizens' trust in the judiciary is tremendously low. If there is no rule of law, no prosecutors and judges who work in line with the law and the Constitution, when there is no economic security or activity, no budget revenues sufficient for development, and if there is no development, then there are no happy citizens and companies, which leads to disappointment and exit from Macedonia. We will do everything in our power to bring justice, we must not have first-rank and second-rank citizens, we must all be equal before the law and Constitution," PM Mickoski told reporters.

He said the Government wanted to listen to the proposals from the Judicial Council regarding the reforms, recalling that the executive has urged the experts and the institutions to submit proposals in a joint effort to reform the judiciary.

"We stand behind our position and our programme but we want to listen as well. If we get better ideas, we will apply them," said Mickoski.

The PM once again highlighted the importance of the rule of law for the country's security.

"No rule of law leads to high levels of crime and corruption, creating a security problem. The Government's basic task is to protect the country and the citizens if such security problems arise. We will collect proposals and ideas during this time and then present our final position on the reforms. We stand behind the position for dissolution of these institutions, we do not expect swift results but we expect progress, thus preventing this security problem that we have on our hands because of no rule of law and high levels of corruption," noted Mickoski.

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