COVID-19 Puts Justice in North Macedonia on Standby

The fight against crime is on virtual standby, because, except in emergencies, prosecutors have also postponed investigations.

The Constitutional Court has been the sole overseer of the government in the face of a dissolved parliament and frozen election deadlines. A realization that the country needs but does not have a Law on States of Emergency is perhaps the only lesson learned from months of stalemate caused by the coronavirus.

The budget started filling after the verdicts for violating the curfew. Photo: BIRN

Mass of fines for violating movement curbs

The coronavirus crisis has caused an avalanche of penalty orders - cases for which, without a trial, the court renders a verdict based on a prosecutor's proposal. The number of these offenders exceeds 3,500.

Not taking into account the so-called Racketeering Case, which was the most exposed in the media, the justice system in North Macedonia has been largely reduced to daily and monthly reports of these offenders.

The public has been bombarded with statistics on fined citizens who disobeyed the government measures to protect the population from the coronavirus.

Mandatory protection at court entrances

At entrances to courts, temperatures are measured, disinfectants are mandatory and everyone entering the court must wear a protective mask.

However, some people have not been prosecuted for taking part in collective religious and other gatherings, even though they clearly disrespected the health measures, prompting complaints that even the epidemic had not taught the country anything on non-selective justice.

For those against whom the law is enforced, prosecutors file penalty orders following reports from the...