Skopje, 16 January 2024 (MIA) - EU Ambassador David Geer met Tuesday with now reinstated president of the Judicial Council Vesna Dameva. Ambassador Geer welcomed the Administrative Court's decision, expressing support for Dameva's further activities, as well as the future activities and commitments of the Council, in order to ensure the rule of law and restore citizens' trust, the Judicial Council said in a press release. 

"Ambassador Geer particularly mentioned the recommendations by the European Commission (EC), pointing out that 17 of the 40 recommendations contained in the Report of the EC peer review mission can be implemented immediately, because they are short-term, do not require constitutional and legal changes, and depend on the Judicial Council itself," reads the press release published on the Judicial Council's website.

Dameva told Geer that a workshop funded within the IPA project "EU support for the rule of law" will be held during next week, at which conclusions will be drawn on each of the recommendations of the peer review mission.

Ambassador Geer, adds the press release, expressed hope that the Judicial Council will move towards implementing the activities contained in the new Strategy for the Judiciary, which in a significant part refer to the further functioning of the Judicial Council.

Earlier on Tuesday, Dutch Ambassador Dirk Jan Kop also met with president of the Judicial Council Vesna Dameva. 

"Ambassador Dirk Jan Kop met today with Ms Vesna Dameva, the president of the Judicial Council (JC). Ambassador Kop is pleased that the JC is a legal entity again. It is now of high importance and urgency to start restoring the trust of the public and the international community in the JC," the Dutch Embassy posted on Facebook.

Dameva, the post adds, gave an outline of the manner in which she will implement the recommendations of the EU Peer Review Mission in an transparent way.

"The Netherlands will now strongly consider restarting the project with the JC that was suspended in May last year," said the Embassy. 

Vesna Dameva was reinstated as Judicial Council president on January 4, following an Administrative Court ruling annulling the 2023 decision for her dismissal. Over the past period, Dutch Ambassador Kop criticized the Judicial Council, noting that the Netherlands was putting on hold a project related to the Judicial Council, which he said had become an illegitimate body. Also, commenting on developments in the Judicial Council and the actions taken by the body in terms of political pressure on the Supreme Court, U.S. Ambassador to North Macedonia Angela Aggeler said last year that the Judicial Council has failed to fully fulfil its duties. 

Photo: Judicial Council