Skopje: A Supreme Judge Arrested for Brit

“The judge has been deprived of freedom during the conduct of criminal work”, the Northern Macedonia Ministry of Internal Affairs (MPB ) said in a communique.

According to police, Judge Nake Georgiev is suspected of criminal activity “receiving the reward for illegal influence”.

He allegedly promised relief measures in a court procedure against the former head of the Novosell municipality, Boro Stoychev, who was long ago arrested for smuggling narcotics.

The Judiciary Council, which is the highest judicial body for the appointment and evaluation of the work of judges, stripped Georgiev of his immunity and approved the request for his detention.

The Judiciary Council removed the immunity of the RSM Supreme Court judge, with the aim of improving the criminal procedure; approved the request for the adoption of the detention submitted by the judge of the preliminary procedure at the Constitutional Criminal Court in Skopje, and temporarily removed the Supreme Court judge from the exercise of his judicial function until the end of the constitutional procedure, said the Judiciary Council's announcement.

The arrest of the Supreme Court judge occurred at the time when Northern Macedonia is facing numerous criticisms for corrupt and inefficient judiciarys.

The current composition of the North Macedonian Assembly on September 6, 2023, had adopted changes to the Penal Code that led to the release from prosecution, as well as the reduction of the conviction of dozens of former senior officials charged with serious criminal acts.

According to public opinion research by the International Republican Institute (IRI), only one percent of Northern Macedonia's citizens have confidence in judicial power. /rel/