Skopje, 23 February 2024 (MIA) - Commenting on the replacement of pretrial detention measures with precautionary measures for six suspects in the M-NAV case, the Basic Public Prosecutor's Office in Skopje said a competent public prosecutor has already quizzed all witnesses and suspects, the integrity of the proceedings has been ensured and there is no threat of it being compromised. 

According to the Prosecutor's Office, the suspects no longer have opportunity to influence evidence or actions that will be taken in the further course of the proceedings. 

"For those reasons, and taking into account the practice of the Strasbourg Court, the public prosecutor proposed to replace detention with milder precautionary measures," said the Prosecutor's Office. 

The Skopje-based Criminal Court said earlier today that a public prosecutor from the Basic Public Prosecutor's Office in Skopje submitted on Friday a proposal to pretrial judges at the Criminal Court to cancel detention and house arrest measures for six people suspected of endangering air traffic safety in connection with M-NAV events of January 4, and order precautionary measures instead.

"Acting upon the proposal of the public prosecutor, taking into account the facts presented, the pretrial judges accepted the proposal of the public prosecutor and decided to cancel the house arrest measure for the persons identified by the initials A.O., R.B. and L.Q., and to cancel the detention measure for the persons identified by the initials S.Sh., O.A. and E.S., while ordering precautionary measures under Article 146 paragraph 1 items 1, 2.3 and 6," read the press release.

Under the precautionary measures, the suspects are prohibited from leaving their place of residence, will have their travel documents seized and be prohibited from obtaining new travel documents, have to appear in court when summoned, and cannot communicate with certain persons.  

The parties have the right to appeal against these decisions to the Criminal Council of the Court, the press release added.

The M-NAV attack happened on January 4 after Trade Union of Air Traffic Controllers leader Aleksandar Tasevski told a press conference that twenty to thirty air traffic controllers and their assistants working for M-NAV would start resigning from their management positions in response to the latest job announcement in this institution. 

Photo: MIA archive