Skopje – Today, Ljupco Kocevski, the Public Prosecutor of North Macedonia, held a meeting with Michalis Rokas, the head of the EU Delegation in Skopje. During their discussion, the Public Prosecutor’s Office announced that Kocevski provided updates on the proactive measures being taken to address the recommendations outlined in the latest European Commission Progress Report and the forthcoming Reform Agenda.
Kocevski highlighted a significant challenge noted by the European Commission: the lack of adequate resources for the institution to carry out its functions effectively.
“In the proposed budget projections for 2025, we were asked to detail our needs and the financial implications of these reforms. We complied with this request. However, for the reforms that our country has committed to, particularly concerning the operations of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the proposed budget for the next year includes barely any additional funding. Once again this year, rather than the legally mandated allocation of 0.4 percent of the total state budget for the Prosecutor’s Office, we are being allocated around 14 million euros, which amounts to just over 0.2 percent—half of the legal minimum,” stated Kocevski.
Additionally, he informed Euro-ambassador Rokas about the issues related to understaffing in the prosecutor’s offices, including a shortage of public prosecutors and clerks, as well as outdated equipment. (November 21, 2024)
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