As part of the review of the annual report of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O’Flaherty by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Macedonian MP from the ranks of SDSM, Bisera Kostadinovska-Stojchevska asked him whether he was aware of the ban on attorney at law Toni Menkinoski, who was banned from entering Bulgaria for ten years, just because he has been a representative of Macedonian organizations seeking registration in Bulgaria, for more than 20 years, said Toni Glamchevski, permanent correspondent of “Nova Makedonija” in France, reports NetPress.
“I am aware of this case and I must carefully examine it. From what I understand, the lawyer was allegedly banned from entering the country for several years while he was trying to represent people there,” the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights responded.
“I will review this situation and am ready to organize appropriate exchanges to better understand the stakes involved.” In this context, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, Michael O’Flaherty, will tomorrow receive the two Macedonian MPs, Bisera Kostadinovska-Stojchevska from the ranks of SDSM and Ivana Vasilevska from VMRO-DPMNE, for a meeting to discuss this case.
Namely, one day earlier at the spring session of the PACE, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, also expressed the institution’s readiness to carefully and in detail familiarize itself with the case of lawyer Toni Menkinoski, following the question raised by MP Ivana Vasilevska. The Secretary General of the Council of Europe announced additional consultations and analysis within the framework of institutional mechanisms. Berset said that the Council of Europe’s priority remains the protection of human rights, the rule of law and the independence of the legal profession, as fundamental principles of the Convention system. He indicated that at this moment he did not have all the necessary information to make a final assessment, but announced that additional consultations would be initiated with his cabinet and the competent services, in order to conduct a thorough analysis of all relevant facts and circumstances,” added Commissioner O’Flaherty.
