Skopje, 7 May 2026 (MIA) - At a session Thursday, Parliament adopted the Law on Council of Public Prosecutors with 64 MPs voting in favor and 15 against. The law is a part of the country’s Reform Agenda.

Deputy Minister of Justice Alen Dereban said the law was drafted as part of a transparent procedure, involving experts in the field and all affected by its implementation, and is a direct response to all detected flaws of the previous law.

“The law was sent for an assessment by the Venice Commission and was given a positive opinion. In it we have implemented all recommendations made by the European bodies,” Dereban said.

The Deputy Minister said the law introduces meaningful changes aimed at strengthening independence, professionalism, and transparency in the work of the Council of Public Prosecutors and the Public Prosecutor’s Office as a whole.

“The legislation significantly strengthens the criteria for the election of members of the Council for Public Prosecutors, it regulates a transparent procedure of the election of members of the Council; a disciplinary procedure; procedure for the election of public prosecutors; it also boosts the transparency in the work of the Council of Public Prosecutors; regulates the procedure for complaints and lawsuits during an administrative dispute. This is a reform law, and I see no reason why Parliament should not adopt it unanimously,” Dereban said.

NSDP MP Sonja Mirakovska said the law is not a reform because, she said, it doesn’t respond to the remarks made by the Venice Commission.

“This is not a reform law. It doesn’t respond to the task we have been assigned by the European Union. We have often said that for a good reform it is not enough to just hold a public debate where we remain silent while experts enter and discuss. There is a need for serious involvement of the opposition, dialogue between us, but that did not happen. We will not support this law, we will vote against it because we believe it does not provide an answer, this is not a reform,” Mirakovska said.

MIA file photo