EU Ambassador to Macedonia Samuel Zbogar rejected the request from outgoing Prime Minister Zoran Zaev to have vetting of judges and prosecutors. The proosal would examine the work of the judicial officials and their wealth status, and those found to be corrupt would be dismissed. A similar move in Albania resulted to allegations from the opposition that Prime Minister Edi Rama has kept only the most loyal judges and prosecutors in their offices.

Zaev wants to put the families of judges under scrutiny, but rejects the same for his own family

Ambassador Zbogar told the press today that vetting should be seen as the option of last resort, and that currently there is no need to introduce it. He allowed that this is a decision for the country to make on its own. Zbogar also announced an EU project to examine high level corruption cases in 2020.