Johannes Hahn, the European Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, is arriving in Skopje tomorrow, and according to the announced agenda, he will be having meetings with the leaders of the four major political parties, signatories to the Pržino Agreement, the Special Prosecutor and representatives from the civil sector.
Unlike his previous meetings, what is interesting this time, is that all the people he’ll be talking to, have or have had effective charges against them, and some are currently going through court proceedings. From political leaders who are or were blacklisted by the USA, individuals who work in the judicial system, even representatives from NGO’s who have been charged with misdemeanor offences or have already had their sentences handed down to them.
- Nikola Gruevski, the leader of the ruling VMRO-DPMNE and former Prime Minister, who is a prime suspect in a case where he is accused of being the leader and instigator of violent protests outside the Municipality of the Centre in June, 2013. The Special Public Prosecutor’s Office in mid-September filed the indictment, and the court hearing is expected to begin on November 21.
- Zoran Zaev, leader of the SDSM has been accused in two cases. One case, which the SPO are handling, is known as the “Putsch” case, and the second, code-named “Bribery”.
- Ali Ahmeti, the leader of the DUI party, but while he was ‘Supreme Commander’ of the NLA (National Liberation Army) he was blacklisted by the USA. However, his name was removed once he became involved in politics after elections in 2002.
- Menduh Thaci, the leader of the DPA party has been on the USA’s blacklist for 14 years. He is not on the list of accused politicians, but he was among the people President Gjorgi Ivanov pardoned on April 12 this year.
- Katica Janeva, the Special Public Prosecutor, elected by a majority vote in Parliament on September 15 last year, in accordance with the Pržino Agreement. Ms Janeva and her team, until now, have opened over 40 preliminary procedures, 6 investigative procedures and has filed 2 indictments for cases which stems from the illegal wiretapping.
- Several activists – Pavle Bogoevski, Gordan Kaladziev are both being charged for different violations, but both face misdemeanor charges because of their participation in the “Colourful Revolution”.
