Skopje, 28 January 2026 (MIA) - Five candidates have submitted applications for the Parliament’s public call for election of the Public Prosecutor of the Republic of North Macedonia, and their candidacies were forwarded to the Government on Wednesday, Parliament’s press service told MIA.

Although Parliament did not disclose the candidates’ names, some of the applicants confirmed they are acting public prosecutor Anita Topolova-Isajlovska, prosecutor Lenche Ristovska, Criminal Court judge Nenad Savevski, former Criminal Court president Vladimir Panchevski and Skopje-based prosecutor Lidija Raichevikj.

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said Tuesday that the government will present its position regarding the selection of a new chief public prosecutor after the Council of Public Prosecutors gives its opinion.

“Now the procedure is for the Public Prosecutor’s Office, namely the Council of Public Prosecutors, to give its view. Let us wait for them to do so, and then the government will come out with its position,” Mickoski said Tuesday in response to journalists’ questions during an inspection of infrastructure projects in the Gazi Baba municipality.

Anita Topolova Isajlovska was elected acting state chief public prosecutor, succeeding Ljupcho Kocevski who resigned on December 17, 2025. Topolova Isajlovska serves as chief state public prosecutor until a new one is elected, no longer than six months.

Parliament launched the procedure for selecting a new state public prosecutor on January 12, setting a 15-day deadline for submitting applications from the date of publication in the Official Gazette. Candidates are required to have a minimum of 10 years of uninterrupted work experiences as public prosecutors or judges in the field of criminal law.

According to the Law on the Public Prosecutor’s Office, received applications are forwarded to the government. After the applications are submitted, the government requests an opinion from the Council of Public Prosecutors on all candidates. The Council is obliged to provide reasoned opinions within 15 days. If the Council does not give a positive opinion on any of the candidates, the government cannot submit a proposal and recommends that Parliament announce a new call. A new state public prosecutor must be elected with 61 votes from the MPs.

Photo: MIA archive