Amnesty

Amnesty International's Greek chapter on Monday reiterated its call for greater solidarity for refugees in a post on Twitter on Monday, a day after it projected the message "Humanity First" on the Acropolis Hill in a symbolic protest marking the third anniversary of the signing of a deal between the European Union and Turkey to curb undocumented migration. 

With a midnight deadline approaching, 57 people - some charged and others already convicted - had asked for amnesty from the Skopje Criminal Court, the court's chief judge, Ivan Dzolev, told reporters.

All 95 MPs who were present at Tuesday's session in Macedonia's 120-seat parliament voted in favour of the controversial amnesty legislation.

The opposition VMRO DPMNE MPs joined the majority led by the Social Democrats in supporting the law, despite the fact that there amendment aimed at expanding the scope of the amnesty to all participants was rejected earlier in the day. 

Justice Minister Tudorel Toader stated on Monday that Social Democratic party (PSD)'s National Council agreed that amnesty and pardon should be the last resort to correct justice abuse.

An amnesty law, which the Macedonian parliament's "committee on reconciliation" finished drafting last Wednesday, is expected to be approved this week by the same commission, after which it will be sent for urgent adoption at a plenary session.

Although the draft has not been published, its outlines are known.

The Macedonian parliament's so-called committee on reconciliation finished drafting a law on Wednesday offering an amnesty to those who took part in last year's violent rampage in parliament.

If matters go as planned, the law will soon find itself on the list for speedy adoption.

Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said on Friday that his government was willing to consider an amnesty for those involved in last year's attack on parliament, after meeting the newly formed parliament commission on reconciliation - which is tasked with proposing steps for national reconciliation after years of political crisis.

The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) submitted Sept. 24 a draft bill seeking amnesty for some prisoners to the parliament speaker's office, with party officials saying a total of 162,989 prisoners would "benefit" from the amnesty.

Justice Minister Tudorel Toader said on Tuesday that in the Centennial Year "the legislator could be generous" regarding the amnesty of certain deeds.

A Turkish court ruled on Aug. 15 to release the local chair of Amnesty International after more than a year-long detention.