Tetovo, 16 April 2024 (MIA) – Arben Taravari, presidential candidate of the Worth It coalition, said Tuesday that if elected in the coming elections he would take concrete steps to re-examine the politically fabricated cases and to restore the public’s trust in the judiciary. 

According to him, one such case is “Monster” in relation to the 2012 killings near Smilkovsko Lake outside Skopje.

“In relation to this case, fabricated by the parapolitical structures, five innocent Albanians were sentenced to a life in prison or were handed down maximum punishment. This anniversary was treated by the government like many times before – with silence, which is characterized by guilt. “Monster”, “Sopot”, “Brodec”, “Alfa”, “Divo Naselje” – these are the names that remind us of the open wound in our society, the selective justice unfairly inflicted upon the Albanians… Selective justice in politically fabricated cases and the impunity introduced with the changes to the criminal law has led to only 2 percent of the citizens to have confidence in the judiciary,” Taravari told a news conference in Tetovo at the coalition’s headquarters. 

Worth It coalition, the presidential candidate said, will focus on the establishment of an independent, efficient and fair judiciary in which “no one will be above the law and no one will be discriminated due to their national background.”

“Worth It will be committed to setting up a temporary body of Western experts, mainly from European countries, that will be integrated into the councils of prosecutors and courts. With a six-year term, the body will follow the work of the judges and prosecutors all the while also serving themselves and judges and prosecutors. We will follow through the law on vetting of judges and prosecutors and we’ll fully reform the system of election, promotion and dismissal of judges,” Taravari said. 

He vowed that the coalition will fully reform the judicial system to make it European “as a necessary condition to stop the epidemic of corruption and selective justice.” 

Photo: MIA