Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi refused media inquiries after VMRO-DPMNE member of Parliament Antonio Milososki revealed that one of the members of Parliament from the ruling majority is a convicted rapist.

Milososki did not reveal the name of the person, but media outlets have quickly focused on one representative. Xhaferi was asked today to confirm the report, but he evaded, insisting that the Parliament does not have the mandate to identify such cases. Xhaferi also said that candidates for Parliament need to submit proof that they do not have criminal records, and added that “I doubt a court would issue a false certificate”.