Judge Ivan Dzolev, who was appointed by the Zaev regime to lead the Skopje criminal court and who is key in the on-going persecution of opposition officials, insisted that he will fast-track the dozen politically motivated cases which now have to begin from start. The reason for this set-back in Zaev’s persecution campaign is the retirement of a judge who was sitting on a number of panels.

Dzolev said that he will insist that the judges resume the cases where they left off, and not start them fully from scratch. During a press briefing, he lamented the fact that the court has problems with panel judges, who, he said, are poorly paid, which leaves the positions unfilled.

Dzolev also insisted that the judiciary is not corrupt and under political pressure, but that it is the citizens, driven by media reports, who come offering bribes.