Skopje, 22 October 2024 (MIA) – The Judicial Council on October 10 passed a disciplinary action, public reprimand, against the judge Jovanka Spirovska – Paneva upholding that she had acted illegally by excluding the public from following a face-off at a hearing between the businessman Kocho Angjushev and journalist Sashka Cvetkovska in the Feroinvest vs IRL case.

This was announced Tuesday by the Association of Journalists of Macedonia (ZNM), which filed a complaint in October 2023 to the Judicial Council seeking accountability from judge Spirovska – Paneva after she prevented reporters from covering the trial by excluding the public from the hearing as part of the case. 

Dragan Sekulovski, ZNM executive director, called the Judicial Council’s decision “crucial” and “an important step for freedom of the media and the safety of journalists in Macedonia”.

“Excluding the public from trial hearings is a blatant violation of the transparency and the right to information, which is of crucial importance for freedom of the media,” reads the Judicial Council’s decision. 

This decision is a turning point for the media community, stressed Sekulovski.

“A clear message is sent that freedom of information must be protected. Also, this is a step toward guaranteeing transparency of judicial actions and that all judges must respect the laws,” he told a news conference, adding that ZNM took part in all four hearings before a three-member commission presenting relevant evidence confirming the misconduct by the judge. 

The case refers to the news story titled “Conspiracy against air”, published by the Investigative Reporting Lab (IRL) in October 2023.

Photo: MIA