Macedonia was a one-man state during Zaev and SDSM’s rule. Zaev was both a prosecutor and the main judge. He decided who would be prosecuted and who would take the bench, VMRO-DPMNE’s Valentin Manasievski told a press conference Sunday.
The ruling party representative said that judges and prosecutors were not chosen according to law and integrity, but according to obedience. If you followed Zoran Zaev’s directions, you remained in office. If you showed disobedience, you were dismissed the very next day, Manasievski added.
“Court cases were tailored according to political measures. Instead of justice, we had political calculations, and instead of the rule of law, we had the rule of fear. Members of VMRO-DPMNE were subject to political persecution, and the pressure did not stop only on them, it also went to their families. It was not a fight for justice, but a demonstration of force. The case of the Mercedes and Gordana Jankuloska is just one of the symbols of that system. Former Supreme Judge Katevenovski publicly stated that she had not committed any crime. When the case reached him, at a closed-door hearing he clearly stated that he would not give a positive opinion on detention and that he would coordinate the decision with his colleagues. However, the conversation with his colleagues never took place. The next day, at a session of the Judicial Council, which was convened at the direction of the then government, Judge Katevenovski was dismissed. He was dismissed because he did not act on a political directive,” noted Manasievski.
“This is the true face of Zoran Zaev and SDS. They promised truth and justice, but delivered selectivity, crime and corruption. Those who spoke of an independent judiciary created a dependent judiciary,” Manasievski added.
