Skopje, 31 January 2024 (MIA) – At a press conference Wednesday, the Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia (SSM) demanded the resignation of judges Shpend Devaja, Nake Georgiev, and Isamedin Limani, from the Supreme Court who ruled to seize the headquarters of the Federation.

If they don’t resign by Friday, the President of SSM, Slobodan Trendafilov, said the unions would initiate a procedure at the Judicial Council over the dismissal of the judges.

“These three people in a Council of five judges, including Elica Krstevska and Aneta Boshkovska who voted against, ruled on the basis of their free belief, without arguments, and by using a law which is no longer into force,” Trendafilov said at the press conference.

In the ruling, according to Trendafilov, the three judges refer to a 1998 law which is no longer into force, since a new law was adopted in 2010, which invalidated the 1998 law.

“I am very sorry that these supreme judges don’t know that a new law on associations and foundations has been in force since 2010, which in article 2 states that the provisions of the law don’t apply to political parties, churches, religious communities, religious groups, unions, chambers and other types of associations determined by specific laws,” said Trendafilov, adding that the public’s trust in the judiciary is at two percent due to judges like the three judges at the Supreme Court.

The SSM representatives said they suspect that the decision has been made under political pressure, and noted that the least the judges can do is adopt a new ruling that would fix the old one.

Trendafilov said European and international labor unions have been informed about the developments. He also said they would launch a procedure at the International Court of Justice.

“We won’t hand over our building on a silver platter. They won’t enter our building. The beheading of the representative of the workers, of SSM, is not something we will allow, and neither will the European Trade Union Confederation, nor the International Trade Union Confederation,” said Trendafilov.

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