Mickovski warns of tough fight against corruption

2024-07-10 08:50:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Mickovski warns of tough fight against corruption

Christian Mickovski

The Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Hristijan Mickovski, who heads the North Macedonian delegation that is participating in the NATO Summit in Washington, took the opportunity to present some important topics for North Macedonia of interest to the wider region. In the lecture held at Johns Hopkins University, Prime Minister Mickovski has warned of an uncompromising fight against corruption. If we want justice, the coalition between some politicians, judges, prosecutors and the business elite must be destroyed, Mickovski said.

"We have to deal with crime and corruption if we want to develop our country for the next generation. There is a big coalition between certain political elites, judges, prosecutors and business elites and we have to destroy that coalition if we want to develop it. our country and if we want to bring justice as it should be. Otherwise, we will fail like all our predecessors and we will lose", said Hristijan Mickoski.

Clash for judicial reforms

Mickoski did not leave without mentioning the hottest issue for reforms in the judiciary, namely the distribution of the Council of Judges and Prosecutors. For this initiative of the prime minister, he clashed with the EU and US ambassadors in the country, who declared that with this, the executive power interferes in the affairs of the judicial power.

"The distribution of independent judicial bodies was a pre-election promise of VMRO-DPME, and the same has become part of the government program. The reforms in the judiciary, the government will do through the adoption of new laws on Criminal Procedure, the Prosecutor but and the adoption of the new Criminal Code. Through them, it is envisaged to prevent influence and nepotism in the procedures for the election of judges and prosecutors", said Prime Minister Mickovski.

North Macedonia's relations with Bulgaria and Greece

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski also spoke about the beginning of negotiations for the membership of the Republic of Moldova in the EU. On this occasion, he emphasized that there is no guarantee for a final request in the talks with Bulgaria.

"We will not be ready to start negotiations if we do not include in the Constitution several hundred of our citizens, which means that they are part of the Bulgarian minority in Macedonia. Who can guarantee us that this is Bulgaria's last request.

At the Human Rights Court in Strasbourg, we have 14 decisions that state that the rights of the Macedonian community in Bulgaria have been violated. And here a logical question arises as to whose rights are violated", said Mickoski. Speaking about Bulgaria's veto, he emphasized that real good neighborly relations should be discussed, but they should be bilateral.

"We will defend our interests, we are ready to discuss the arguments, to present them, to see whose arguments will prevail. The citizens of Macedonia have contributed to the European perspective like no one before", declared Prime Minister Mickoski.

Since Mickoski's government came to power, there have been verbal clashes with the southern neighbor, Greece, regarding the use of the new name of the state and the respect of the Prespa agreement. At the NATO summit in Washington, there is expected to be a direct meeting between Prime Ministers Mitsotakis and Mickovski. /DW