Skopje, 17 February 2026 (MIA) — To provide an opinion to the government, the Council of Public Prosecutors reviewed Thursday the five candidates running for state public prosecutor and approved the candidacies of current acting state public prosecutor Anita Topolova Isajlovska, public prosecutor Lenche Ristovska, Criminal Court justice Nenad Savevski and public prosecutor Lidija Raichevikj. It rejected the candidacy of former Criminal Court head Vladimir Panchevski over unmet seniority requirements. 

Council chairman Bashkim Besimi told reporters after the meeting that three of the four eligible candidates for the job were prosecutors and one was a judge who had served on court benches for years after previously serving as prosecutor.

"They all have 25 or 15 years of experience as prosecutors and that is why we issued a positive opinion," Besimi said.

In response to a reporter's question as to why the candidates had not been invited for an interview despite the Rules of Procedure providing for that possibility, Besimi said council members already knew the candidates well and there was no legal obligation to conduct any interviews.

Asked about the new law that provides for greater transparency in appointing the state public prosecutor, Besimi said the council acted under the existing law.

Parliament launched the procedure for selecting a new state public prosecutor on Jan. 12, setting a 15-day deadline for submitting applications from the date of publication in the Official Gazette. Candidates are required to have at least 10 years of uninterrupted experience in criminal law as a prosecutor or judge.

According to the Law on the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the approved applications are forwarded to the government, which then chooses to nominate one candidate to Parliament. To be elected new state public prosecutor, the nominee needs to garner 61 lawmakers' votes. 

Topolova Isajlovska was elected interim state chief public prosecutor after Ljupcho Kocevski resigned on Dec. 17, 2025. She is overseeing the office for a maximum of six months while a new permanent prosecutor is selected by Parliament. mr/