The Committee on rules of procedure, mandate and immunity affairs at the parliament will have to decide tomorrow whether MP Nikola Gruevski should continue to perform his duty as an MP. Gruevski was convicted to two-year imprisonment in the SPO case named “Tank” and on the 8th of November, he should report to serve his sentence. in this case, in order to call off his MP mandate, a two-third majority is necessary.
The eight MPs, members of the new parliamentary MP group that gave their votes for commencing of the changes of the Constitution in accordance to the Prespa Agreement and the name change, have already announced that they will not vote to abolish Gruevski’s mandate. After the parliamentary commission, this issue will be decided upon by the Parliament with a two-third majority.
To an MP who is convicted with an imprisonment of at least 5 years, the MP mandate is automatically abolished, as determined by the Parliamentary Rule book. in this case, a two-third majority will be needed at the parliamentary session. Without the votes from these eight MPs, there won’t be a majority.
Gruevski has already received the document to serve his sentence by the 8th of November. His plea for postponement of the verdict was rejected by a judge at the Basic Court Skopje 1. His defense now has the right to appeal to the Criminal council which has 3 days to decide upon the plea.
