Financial Crime World

Macedonia’s Immunity Laws Under Scrutiny

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The Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) has recommended that Macedonia consider amending its laws to reduce the scope of parliamentary immunity and simplify the process for lifting it.

Current Challenges with Parliamentary Immunity

  • The current threshold for lifting immunity is a two-thirds majority vote in parliament, which GRECO considers too high.
  • There are concerns about the lack of clear guidelines for members of Parliament’s Committee on Immunities when deciding whether or not to lift immunity.

Political Abuse of Immunity

  • GRECO has expressed concerns that the lack of clarity can lead to political abuse of immunity and hinder the natural course of justice.
  • The organization has highlighted the need for clearer criteria for lifting immunity in cases where a member of government is suspected of using their position to gain an undue advantage.

Recent Controversy Surrounding Immunity

  • The issue of parliamentary immunity was recently raised when former Prime Minister Vlado Buckovski’s immunity was invoked in 2007.
  • Although the Immunity Committee voted to revoke his immunity, the decision has been criticized for not following the prescribed procedure.

GRECO’s Recommendations

  • Strengthening prevention efforts by educating officials and developing a system for detecting, addressing, and sanctioning cases of conflict of interest.
  • Implementing clearer guidelines on requests for lifting immunity for members of parliament.

Conflict of Interest Framework

  • Macedonia’s conflict of interest legal framework is considered sound, but enforcement has been deemed unsatisfactory.
  • GRECO recommends strengthening prevention efforts by educating officials and developing a system for detecting, addressing, and sanctioning cases of conflict of interest.

Conclusion

GRECO’s recommendations aim to improve Macedonia’s anti-corruption framework by addressing issues related to parliamentary immunity and conflict of interest. Implementing these recommendations is crucial for ensuring transparency and accountability in government.