OJO/PPO prosecutors informed today that they have taken over about 20 criminal cases, 100 investigations and 40 initial lead cases from the disgraced Special Prosecutor’s Office (SPO).

The cases were taken over by OJO based on a controversial order by Katica Janeva which she issued from prison. Some 20 of the cases are currently on trial, 25 are being investigated and 80 are in the “pre-investigative” phase. The SPO also handed over 38 cases in which it required that financial leads are provided.

Public Prosecutor Ljubomir Joveski, who heads the OJO, already began appointing prosecutors to lead the SPO cases, and so far he has empowered the members of Janeva’s handpicked team to continue to lead their old investigations. The oppositions VMRO-DPMNE party, which was the target of Janeva’s politically driven investigations, demands that the SPO team should themselves stand trial for their role in the abuse of office and racketeering scandal, instead of being allowed to carry on working their cases.