Fri, 14 February, 2025

The Court rejects the SPO’s request for the exclusion of Judge Pop-Stefanija from the “Fortress” case

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The Basic Court Skopje 1 has rejected the request by the Special Public Prosecutor (SPO) to exclude Judge Aleksandra Pop-Stefanija from the “Fortress” case, stated the court this afternoon.

The court says the decision was brought by the deputy presiding Judge Ivica Stefanovski as President Vladimir Panchevski is on holiday.

“In the absence of the presiding judge, who is on annual leave, the Vice President who is authorized to act and sign rulings in the absence of the president, and because of the expiration of the three days from the submission of the request from the SPO, he adopted a decision and rejected the request for the disqualification of the judge”, said the statement from the Basic Court Skopje 1.

The request for the exclusion of Judge Pop-Stefanija arrived in court last Thursday during the course of the questioning of former Minister of Interior, Gordana Jankulovska, prompting the judge to end the hearing.

The SPO requested the exclusion of the Judge Pop-Stefanija because the former Interior Minister, Jankuloska is registered as an employee of the ruling party, the VMRO-DPMNE, and Judge Pop-Stefanija’s husband is employed at the branch of the ruling party in Negotino.

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