First interim report on work of Special Prosecutor’s Office presented in Skopje

SKOPJE, 29 August 2018 – The OSCE Mission to Skopje’s first interim report on the activities and cases of the Special Prosecutor’s Office provides a detailed analysis of, and recommendations for the work of the Office, highlighting the challenges encountered and the successes achieved.

The report is the result of the Mission’s trial monitoring observations of SPO cases, focusing primarily on the 20 cases in which the SPO filed indictments by the statutory deadline of 30 June 2017.

During the presentation of the report, the Acting Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje Jeff Goldstein said that the trial monitoring of high-profile cases has proven to be an effective tool for promoting the implementation of domestic and international fair trial standards and supporting judicial reform.

“The presence of monitors in the courtroom often leads to better adherence to international human rights standards,” said Goldstein. “We also believe that the recommendations of the monitors could contribute to the improvement of the legal system.”

Special Public Prosecutor Katica Janeva said: “This project is of particular importance to us as it gives for the first time a detailed account of the entire process starting from the establishment of the Office. It outlines the stages of institution-building through the work done and the results achieved, the challenges and obstacles faced.”

Janeva added that the report also strengthens the Office in its commitment to carry on:  “Our aim is to accomplish the mission entrusted, tackling impunity and upholding the rule of law,” said Janeva.

The report, available online here is part of a project financed through extra-budgetary contributions provided by the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the United States Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.