Skopje, 17 December 2023 (MIA) - The whole system must be consolidated in terms of investigations, trials and enforcement of sanctions. It is something that we must understand and accept as a situation that must change, Minister of Interior Oliver Spasovski said Sunday, commenting on U.S. Ambassador Angela Aggeler's statement that the institutions should look within themselves and see what should have been done to prevent the murder of 14-year-old Vanja Gjorchevska.

"I have very often said that - also when I spoke about the impunity of all those who robbed the country without bearing responsibility, when I spoke about the consolidation of the judicial system. A change of the system and consolidation must be done quickly and efficiently," Spasovski told reporters in Bitola.  

Regarding the actions of the police, Spasovski said the numbers speak for that.

"It is important for the citizens that there is a trajectory for the criminals from the moment they are detained, in which they will see and know that the sanction has been executed, or the property acquired in a criminal way has been confiscated. The whole system must be consolidated in terms of investigations, trials and in terms of enforcement of sanctions, so that when the Ministry of Interior detains criminals, we see them back home shortly or moving about without appropriate measures ordered," said Spasovski.  

Commenting on the murder of 14-year-old Vanja, U.S. Ambassador Angela Aggeler said in an interview with Kanal 77 on Saturday that it is not a time for politicization, but a time for the institutions to look within themselves and see what should have been done to prevent the murder of the girl.

"Let me tell you very frankly that the system let that little girl down. These are criminals, who were known to be criminals, who were violent criminals, who were not in jail. They had not been previously arrested and imprisoned. They hadn't been arrested and had the full prosecution of their previous crimes. They had not paid that price, and the little girl did, Vanja did. It is heartbreaking, it is absolutely heartbreaking, and it is not a time for politicization. It is a time for the institutions of this country to take a cold hard look at themselves and say - what more should we have done to protect this little girl and every other child in this country? Why are we allowing criminals to move about freely and to commit crimes on anybody else in this country? This is a tragedy, and I hope, and pray, that this country, the citizens, and the institutions and officials look within themselves and see what should we have done and what should we do now to make sure that this never happens again," said Aggeler. 

Photo: MIA