Skopje, 2 April 2026 (MIA) - Public prosecutor Lenche Ristoska said Thursday she has stepped down from her post after Chief Public Prosecutor Nenad Saveski revoked her authority to represent several key cases that are in their final stages.

“This week, the Council of Public Prosecutors dismissed my complaint regarding the attack on my integrity and independence, and the Chief Prosecutor decided to withdraw my authority to represent key cases that are in their final stages. I believe these decisions seriously weaken the position of the Public Prosecutor’s Office and pose concrete risks to the outcome of cases targeting high-level corruption and crime. Such actions run directly counter to the vision I stand for – a prosecution that operates free from political influence, protects its professionals, and defends the public interest consistently and non-selectively. Since I see no room to work, nor any prospects to act in line with my principles, today I submitted my resignation as public prosecutor,” Ristoska said in a written statement to the media.

Ristoska stressed she has always seen the post of public prosecutor as a call and opportunity to contribute to an improvement of the system, society, and the lives of the citizens.

“Throughout my career, I found the greatest challenge in working on cases that most directly undermine social values and principles. Handling high-profile cases inevitably creates high-profile enemies – those who use their power, influence, and connections to evade responsibility and to push you away from your intentions. This has meant obstructions on various levels, both institutional and personal. Over the years you have witnessed many of these developments: witness tampering, exerting pressure, changing legal provisions, shelving cases, and allowing the statute of limitations to expire. None of this stopped me from standing firm in my commitments and I publicly criticized the state of the judiciary regardless of the socio-political context and without thinking about the consequences to my career,” Ristoska underscored.

Ristoska said she wanted to finalize all these efforts from a leadership position through her candidacy for Chief Prosecutor “with a clear vision, accumulated knowledge and resilience built against influence and pressure.”

“I believed the time had come for an institution guided by the public interest, dedicated to fighting corruption and crime, and protecting the rights of citizens,” Ristoska said.

MIA file photo