Skopje, 17 January 2023 (MIA) – Prosecutor Gavril Bubevski requested Tuesday that Sasho Mijalkov, Menduh Thaçi and former members of the State Election Commission (SEC) be declared guilty in the Titanic 2 case, related to election irregularities.

According to A1on, the Prosecutor noted the aggravating and mitigating factors for each of the defendants. As a mitigating factor for the former SEC members he pointed to the fact that no other proceedings are being conducted against them and they haven’t been convicted in the past, while the abuse of their knowledge and the illegal acts they committed in front of the public, according to the Prosecutor, are aggravating factors.

As regards former secret police chief Sasho Mijalkov, Bubevski pointed to the degree of criminal responsibility, the reasons for the crime, the fact that other criminal proceedings are being led against him and that he has received a final verdict as the aggravating factors, while noting his good behavior and respect for the court as mitigating factors.

Regarding Menduh Thaçi, the Prosecutor noted the direct intention and the circumstances as aggravating factors, while stressing his respect for the Court and the Prosecutor’s Office as mitigating factors.

The Prosecutor requested that each of the defendants be sanctioned in line with the degree of the crime.

In 2019, the Criminal Court sentenced Sasho Mijalkov for “receiving a reward for unlawful influence” according to the Criminal Code. In December of the same year, the Appellate Court annulled the verdict due to substantial violations of the procedure and sent the case back for a retrial.

According to the public prosecutor’s indictment, Mijalkov had DPA leader Menduh Thaçi order SEC member Bedredin Ibraimi to vote for annulment of regular voting at a polling station in Strumica to benefit VMRO-member Vasil Pishev as opposed to mayor candidate at the time, Zoran Zaev.

The trial is led by Judge Ognen Stavrev. The date of the final verdict will be announced after the closing arguments. ad/nn/