North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski warned on Thursday of mass protests if members of the Judicial Council, who recently lost a no-confidence vote in Parliament, do not resign.
Speaking on Kanal 5 TV, Mickoski said he would stand at the forefront of these protests, describing them as a public outcry for justice.
“The people will rise. The streets will be filled with citizens protesting because they are hungry and thirsty for justice. Imagine having less than two or three percent trust among the public, getting dismissed, and still refusing to leave — just out of spite. The people will rise, and I will be the first to lead them. I promise it will happen,” Mickoski declared.
On the question of who would replace the dismissed council members, Mickoski stated that discussions would be held, but he assured that the system would not remain the same.
“There can be no justice with judges, prosecutors, or Judicial Council members who come from party headquarters. Some individuals have concrete evidence against them regarding their conduct. At the end of the day, the reforms we are pushing for aim to bring real change — there’s no reason to replace people only to keep the same system. We have a report from the Evaluation Mission that outlines clear reform directions, and we will implement them. We must adhere to that report because things cannot continue as they are if we want to have a functional state. I want this country to be a place where my children grow up, build families, and thrive — I will fight for that kind of nation,” Mickoski said.
Earlier in the day, the European Parliament’s rapporteur for North Macedonia, Thomas Waitz, raised concerns about government pressure on the Judicial Council, warning of potential political interference in the judiciary.
“The independence of the judicial system is crucial for the rule of law and the separation of powers — fundamental values on North Macedonia’s path toward the EU,” Waitz said in a written statement to the media.
