The Judicial Council elected Tuesday 25 new judges in several basic courts, and the Basic Criminal Court in Skopje. The Council also swore in Judge Antoaneta Dimovska as its new member.

After the first call, three judges were elected in the Basic Court in Bitola, one in Sveti Nikole, one in Strumica, and two in Tetovo, while after the second call, an additional judge was elected in the Basic Court in Bitola, eight in the Basic Civil Court in Skopje, seven in the Basic Criminal Court in Skopje and two in the Basic Court in Strumica.

Among those elected as judges in the Basic Criminal Court Skopje was Judge Kiril Georgiev, son of Judicial Council member Nakje Georgiev, who resigned from his post at the Council on Tuesday morning, citing personal reasons.

Georgiev’s resignation came ahead of his formal swearing-in ceremony as the new Judicial Council member in Parliament Tuesday, alongside Antoaneta Dimovska. Dimovska was accompanied at the ceremony by the President of the Judicial Council, Sashko Georgiev.

Asked if it is true that Judge Nakje Georgiev resigned in order to allow his son to become a judge at the Criminal Court, the Council’s President said it is a fact that Nakje Georgiev’s son was a candidate to be a judge.

“It is a fact that his son is a graduate of the Academy for Judges and Prosecutors. It is a fact that he is a candidate to be a judge and that according to the law, there would be an obstacle if he was a member of the Council. Whether it is because of this, still it would be better for him to say, but it is a fact that in a way this is a dilemma between the colleagues themselves whether this is a condition to elect his son or not, based on the law,” said Georgiev.

Judge Dimovska, who was sworn in as a new member of the Judicial Council, said this was a great honor for her, but also a great responsibility.

“I applied in order to use my experience and knowledge to help improve the image of the judiciary. We know that the image of the judiciary is not very good at this moment, but there are people who have the strength, knowledge, and integrity to improve it. I think I will provide a humble contribution, I will do everything to help improve the image. The first step I would do, during the sessions which are recorded by the media, would elaborate on each proposal ‘in favor’ and ‘against’. This is what bothered me in the past, what I reacted against in 2017. My colleagues expect this, and I will do it and I promise you will hear it soon,” said Dimovska.