Natasa Gaber Damjanovska, head of the much criticized Academy for judges and prosecutors, defended her decision to enroll sons and daughters of powerful politicians and judges in the next class of the academy, among them the son of Speaker Talat Xhaferi whose law faculty diploma is in question.

After the torrent of public criticism over the nepotistic hiring, Gaber said that the “young men were happy to be given a chance, and we will now give them a chance to work professionally”.

Why should we discount a candidate because of his parents? He can still do his job conscientiously, Gaber said in an Alsat TV interview.

Recent polls have shown that public trust in the judiciary, after the campaign of political persecution of the opposition under Zoran Zaev, is at 4 percent.