North Macedonia Special Prosecutors See Positives in Chief’s Arrest

North Macedonia's Special Prosecution, rocked by the arrest of head prosecutor Katica Janeva, vowed on Thursday, "Our fight will not stop".

Once dubbed 'Charlie's Angels', the trio of female prosecutors was entrusted in 2015 with stepping up the fight against high-level crime in North Macedonia. Now they are two, following Wednesday's arrest of outgoing Chief Special Prosecutor Janeva.

Speaking for the first time since Janeva was taken from her home by police, special prosecutor Fatime Fetai insisted that, rather than an indictment of the SJO and its ability to get to grips with the scourge of organised crime and corruption, the arrest was proof that no one is above the law.

"What's happening now can serve as a good indication that anyone who has broken the law must be held responsible, that things in the country are finally moving forward in a positive direction and that no is untouchable," Fetai told reporters outside the Criminal Court in the capital, Skopje.

Janeva was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of involvement in a scandal dubbed 'Extortion' in which two men are accused of taking 1.5 million euros from a third man under investigation by the SJO, in exchange for pulling strings with the prosecutors.

Janeva, who resigned in July citing a political dispute over anti-corruption legislation but remained in the post temporarily, has denied any wrongdoing. She was arrested on suspicion of "abuse of office" and a judge later ordered she remain in detention for 30 days.

Mission unchanged, prosecutor says

Political fallout

During Janeva's arrest, police seized furniture that prosecutors said had been paid for with Kamcev's cash.

The now-opposition VMRO-DPMNE said Janeva's...