Lay Judge Exclusion Decisions Bring New Transparency to Macedonian Justice System

Skopje, Macedonia - In a move aimed at increasing transparency and accountability in the Macedonian justice system, the President of the Court has been granted the power to make exclusion decisions regarding judges and lay judges who have been accused of bias or conflict of interest.

New Regulations for Exclusion Decisions

Under the new regulations, if a demand for exclusion is submitted against a judge or lay judge, the President of the Court must decide on the matter immediately, or at least within three days. This decision can be appealed, but only in limited circumstances.

Roles and Responsibilities

• The President of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Macedonia will make exclusion decisions in cases involving judges and prosecutors from the highest court.
• The immediate superior court will handle all other exclusion demands.

Changes to Previous Practices

The new regulations introduce several significant changes to previous practices, including:

• Statements must be taken from the accused judge or lay judge before an exclusion decision is made.
• If a judge or lay judge is excluded, they will no longer be able to participate in the case and another judge will be appointed to take their place.

Exclusion Process Clarified

The regulations also clarify the process for excluding public prosecutors, court clerks, interpreters, specialized persons, and experts from cases. Specifically:

• The Board of Secretaries of the Public Prosecution Office will make exclusion decisions regarding the Public Prosecutor of the Republic of Macedonia.
• Immediate superior public prosecutors will handle all other exclusion demands.

Impact on Justice System

These changes are seen as a major step forward in ensuring the integrity and transparency of the Macedonian justice system. “We believe that these new regulations will help to restore trust in our courts and ensure that justice is served fairly and impartially,” said a spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice.

The regulations have been widely welcomed by legal experts and human rights organizations, who see them as an important step towards increasing accountability and transparency in the justice system. “These changes are long overdue and will help to prevent abuses of power and ensure that the judiciary is accountable to the people,” said a leading human rights activist.

Increased Powers for Public Prosecutors

As part of the new regulations, public prosecutors have also been granted increased powers to conduct investigations and take necessary measures to reveal crimes and criminals. This includes:

• The authority to demand investigations
• The power to enforce and present prosecution acts
• The right to appeal against court decisions

Effective Date

The regulations come into effect immediately and are seen as an important step towards modernizing the Macedonian justice system and ensuring that it is fair, impartial, and transparent.