Angela Ageler, the US ambassador, responded to a journalist’s inquiry today regarding the best way to carry out the reforms in this area by saying that any changes made to the Judicial Council or the judicial system in general should be done extremely carefully, thoughtfully considered, and wise decisions made.Ageler stressed that the EU has a roadmap for how the reforms should be implemented and that they, along with the Embassy and the state, support him when asked about his position on the reforms following the visit of members of the Light Infantry Battalion Group to the “Jane Sandanski” barracks in Shtip.During the recent conference in Skopje on the implementation of the Evaluation Mission’s recommendations, departing European Ambassador David Geer expressed his concerns about the EU’s potential reaction to the dissolution of the Judicial Council and the Council of Public Prosecutors. He described this as a discretionary interference with the judiciary’s independence. Gere emphasised that actions taken to uphold the rule of law shouldn’t be taken in a way that, in his opinion, would go against the ideas of the division of powers.

Ageler also spoke to the conference, emphasising that the EU Evaluation Mission’s Report serves as a useful guide for reorganising the Judicial Council and reinstating its position in the legal system.Following this, the US and EU ambassadors’ remarks opposing the dissolution of the Judicial Council and the Council of Public Prosecutors were discussed by Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski. In addition to stating that ambassadors should provide solutions to the issue of public mistrust of the court and underline that he is available for talks, Mickoski claimed that “it has become a practice for ambassadors to interfere in the internal affairs of the state.”

Ageler also responded to a query today regarding the potential addition of new names to the USA’s “black list”; he stated that this is a process that is ongoing and that he was unable to provide an exact timeline. Regarding the prosecution’s request for international legal assistance from the US in the Soravia case involving Drin Ahmeti, the nephew of DUI leader Ali Ahmeti, Ageler said she did not have details, that the US Embassy had a legal office, which deals with these things.