Ruskovska files appeal against suspension decision to Council of Public Prosecutors
Skopje, 19 August 2022 (MIA) – Prosecutor Vilma Ruskovska appealed on Friday the decision on her suspension from office to the Council of Public Prosecutors. With the appeal, Ruskovska said, she refutes the allegations in the decision.
“I don’t consider this a suspension of Vilma Ruskovska, but suspension of law and justice. Regardless of announcements that cases will continue with the same intensity, after what happened to me, I doubt that any colleague will continue to pursue them,” Ruskovska said.
She didn’t say what she has included in the appeal, noting that the Council members need to be the first to see it, followed by the public.
Ruskovska also said she doesn’t know what will happen to the case over the search in the Financial Police Office, adding that she had already started questioning witnesses, but that had to be put on hold due to her suspension.
“The decision on my suspension states that I should hand over my current cases to my colleague, but she’s currently on holiday so I haven’t been able to. But, she can neither work on the cases because there is a disciplinary proceeding against her as well,” Ruskovska said.
As regards any evidence found in the search of the Financial Police, Ruskovska said they have not received all the documents they requested.
“We precisely listed what cases we need to have submitted, around 250-300 cases, and we only received 30 that we didn’t even ask for,” Ruskovska said.
According to the law on criminal proceedings, she said that they have the right to request punishment for the institution and the authority, adding that it is what they will do.
Regarding the proposal on opening disciplinary procedure against her, Ruskovska said she has not yet been asked for a statement, adding that the procedure takes a while.
“The Public Prosecutor’s Office did not monitor my overall work or my colleagues’ work, only this particular case, which I believe is absolutely against the law. The law is what it is and it must be followed. If we leave the frames of any law, that creates a very bad practice,” Ruskovska said.
Asked if she feels safe or if she’s threatened, fRuskovska said that for the time being, she feels safe and there are no threats so far, adding that it doesn’t mean there won’t be any in the future.
Financial Police Office director Arafat Muaremi filed on Aug. 8 a criminal complaint to the Skopje Public Prosecutor’s Office, which covers all prosecutors the Financial Police believes are suspected of committing crimes while taking actions as part of a case during which a search was ordered in the institution.
The Chief Public Prosecutor decided to remove Head of Public Prosecution for Organized Crime and Corruption Vilma Ruskovska from her position while a criminal procedure initiated after a criminal report was filed against her is under way, in accordance with the Law on Public Prosecution. dk/nn/
