Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi refused the request from the opposition VMRO-DPMNE party that a Committee is set up to investigate the work of the disgraced Special Prosecutor’s Office.

Xhaferi cited technicalities in the request in order to reject it. These include the fact that VMRO-DPMNE refuses to use the imposed name “North Macedonia”.

There were no serious problems with the proposal, on the contrary, it’s the same as the proposal used to set up a Committee to investigate the wiretapping scandal. Clerks have determined that the signature on the rejection note is not that of Xhaferi, but was either from his Secretary General Cvetanka Ivanova, or someone else from the SDSM party. It’s clear that the ruling party is controlling Xhaferi but they need to realize that they can’t keep protecting this instrument that was operating unlawfully, said Antonio Milososki from VMRO-DPMNE.

Ivanova asked that she is not dragged into political fights.

The chief Special Prosecutor Katica Janeva is in prison and her institution is being dismantled after the major scandal that involves abuse of office and extorting millions from businessmen who were prosecuted by Janeva. The opposition VMRO-DPMNE party cited the huge costs associated with the SPO, amounting to 12 million EUR from the budget, as just one of the reasons why the institution needs to be investigated.

Media outlets have reported that Janeva was receiving 120.000 denars (2.000 EUR) as salary and additionally collected 250.000 denars in bonuses. It was also reported about the numerous nepotistic hires of relatives or party activists. Loads of public funds were spent and the result is miserable. The SPO was just a tool in the hands of Zoran Zaev, who used it for his withc-hunts and criminal activities. There will be accountability for this lawlessness, VMRO said in its press release.