President Stevo Pendarovski will sign the hastily adopted changes to the criminal code that greatly reduce sentences for abuse of office – the crime that was used on massive scale for politically motivated persecution of opposition officials, and which the ruling DUI – SDSM coalition now apparently fears will soon be used against them.

The proposal caused outrage in the public and is condemned by the opposition VMRO-DPMNE party. Pendarovski’s explanation is that the proposal will help confiscate ill-gotten property more easily.

In this part, the changes to the law are aligned with the European directive on freezing and confiscation of objects and gain. Besides the prison terms, focus is placed on seizing property from the perpetrators of these crimes, Pendarovski’s office said in a statement explaining his position on the highly controversial law.