On Tuesday, the Embassy of the Netherlands in Macedonia reported that Ambassador Dirk Jan Kop engaged in a meeting with Vesna Dameva, the President of the Judicial Council. In a Facebook post, the Dutch Embassy conveyed Ambassador Kop’s satisfaction with the re-establishment of the Judicial Council as a legal entity. Emphasizing the paramount importance of rebuilding public and international trust in the Judicial Council, the post outlined Dameva’s transparent approach to implementing recommendations from the EU Peer Review Mission.

The post further stated that the Netherlands is now actively contemplating resuming the project with the Judicial Council, which was previously suspended in May of the preceding year. Vesna Dameva’s reinstatement as the President of the Judicial Council on January 4, following a ruling by the Administrative Court annulling her 2023 dismissal, marked a significant development.

In the past, Ambassador Kop had expressed criticism towards the Judicial Council, asserting that it had transformed into an illegitimate body. Notably, the Netherlands had halted a project associated with the Judicial Council in response to these concerns. Additionally, commenting on the Judicial Council’s actions and their impact on the Supreme Court, U.S. Ambassador to Macedonia, Angela Aggeler, remarked last year that the Judicial Council had not fully fulfilled its duties, especially in terms of succumbing to political pressure.