Even though the largest Criminal Court in the country, Basic Court Skopje 1, is turning into a circus and the European Commission’s report on Macedonia’s progress noted serious shortcomings in the judicial system and not to mention the obstruction of the Special Public Prosecution’s work, the most responsible person for the judicial system in the country, the Minister of Justice, has been completely absent from recent events in his department – and has not been seen in public and has not made a statement about anything.
Does the country have a Minister of Justice and what has he been doing?
The 26-year-old Minister of Justice, Valdet Xhaferi, has not come out with any comment or position on the progress report from the EC, and has remained silent regarding recent developments at the Criminal Court, where judges through letters, petitions and complaints are rebelling against the President of the Court, Vladimir Panchevski, while employees of the court solve their intolerance of each other with insults, threats and physical attacks.
Minister Xhaferi’s last activity published on the official website of the Ministry of Justice was his participation at the traditional manifestation “Notary Days” from October 31. On the page where Xhaferi’s biography is meant to be, even though he was appointed in April, not only is there no date, but his name seems to be absent as well. There is only a photograph.
