Next month, in the Criminal Court, several cases which have attracted public attention nation wide, are scheduled for hearings and trials, including the “Putsch” case, the events which took place in the Municipality of the Centre in 2013, “Divo Naselje” and many more.
Almost all court cases have a direct or indirect connection with the wiretapped recordings, protests and the political crisis which has grasped the nation. Among the defendants are the leaders from both major political parties, and the charges against them have been brought by the Special Public Prosecutor’s Office, who will make their debut in the courtroom this month.
- November 1 – The “Putsch” case is scheduled to take place, and among the accused are former director of the Administration for Security and Counterintelligence (UBK), Zoran Verushevski and the leader of the SDSM, Zoran Zaev. This case is under the jurisdiction of the Special Prosecutor’s Office. The only witness in the “Putsch” case is former Prime Minister, Nikola Gruevski. (Otherwise, according to the agreement between the SPO and the court, if the hearing does not take place on November 1, it will be on November 3, and if that is postponed as well, the lastest will have to be scheduled for November 7)
- November 3 – The “Divo Naselje” trial continues, which is regarding the events of May 9-10 last year, in Kumanovo.
- November 10 – The trial of journalist and owner of the internet portal, “Burevesnik” , Zoran Bozinovski, who is being charged with criminal association, espionage and blackmail.
- November 14 – The trial of activist Pavle Bogoevski, who stands accused of damaging the building which houses the Ministry of Culture during the protests of the “Colourful Revolution”.
- November 21 –The case known as “Slaps from the Centre” is scheduled to begin. Prime suspects are the leader of the ruling VMRO-DPMNE, Nikola Gruevski and the former Minister of Transport and Communications, Mile Janakieski and they have been accused of inciting and organizing violence outside the Municipality of the Centre in June, 2013. “Slaps from the Centre” is one of the first indictments submitted by the SPO
- November 22 – Trial for the “Bribery” case, where, again, the leader of the SDSM, Zoran Zaev stands accused, this time for soliciting a bribe of 163,924 euros from a Strumica businessman, Ivan Nikolov-Sachevaliev for the privatization of state land.
