Skopje, 11 December 2024 (MIA) – The President of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of North Macedonia, Darko Kostadinovski, stated that the decision to hold a preparatory session on the initiatives for reviewing the constitutionality and legality of the Law on the Use of Languages should not be interpreted as a weakness. He stated that the disputed issues will be defined during a working meeting on December 23, and following the conclusion of the preparatory session, the Court will decide on the case by May at the latest.

“The moment I receive the friendly advice from the Venice Commission, the preparatory session will be convened immediately. As of now, at the conclusion of this session, I have asked the reporting judge to prepare the disputed legal issues for the preparatory session and propose a participant list by December 23 at the latest, since the Court will make its decision during a special working meeting. He noted that in his estimation, the preparatory session will be held at the beginning of March, once the amicus is received. Following the preparatory session, the Court will need no more than a month to finalize the report based on its outcomes, which means, a decision on the case will be made no later than May,” he said.

During Wednesday’s press conference after the 32nd session, Kostadinovski underscored that the Court is under political pressures and manipulations. However, he assured that it will proceed with the case, consulting foreign experts to guarantee its independence and impartiality. He rejected accusations of political interference and ethnic voting, stressing that the Constitutional Court stands as a protector of the Constitution and justice.

“I have said it before, and I will say it again, no one should dare interpret this as our weakness. No. We have already begun addressing the case. This is part of the procedure. The proposal for a preparatory session is a good one because, if I may speak personally, it gives me a chance to dismantle all the lies of the politicians and strip them of their arguments. The preparatory session is always one of the tools at our disposal to invite the most eminent experts in constitutional law, linguistics, and international standards. Let’s bring the arguments to the table so that, once again, the citizens, not the politicians, can see the truth. Whatever, I do, the politicians won’t see it, they do not want to see it, and it’s not in their interest to see it. I want the citizens to remain calm and not to allow themselves to be manipulated,” he said.

The President of the Constitutional Court stressed that he would not allow the Court to be blackmailed or pressured by anyone.

“Anyone who believes that political influence and manipulation can obstruct the rule of law is mistaken. The Constitutional Court has clear authority and stands as the protector of the Constitution,” said Kostadinovski.

He added that the decision to hold a preparatory session should be seen as the highest act of responsibility and respect toward the citizens, so that they are not manipulated by politicians. He also noted that the Court would seek opinions from foreign experts before making a final decision, in order to ensure independence and impartiality in the process.

Regarding the views expressed in public, he pointed out that the Court has the duty to proceed with every case for which an initiative has been submitted, regardless of political pressures.

“A lot of questions have been received, and I will respond to some. The first lie and manipulation of the citizens' emotions is the claim that the Constitutional Court is implementing political programs, that we were a parapolitical organization, that someone who appointed us had the right or ability to influence us, and that we desired destabilization. These are severe lies. This is absurd, pure manipulation,” Kostadinovski said.

Kostadinovski pointed out that politicians often cross the red lines of decency and that not every subject is fit for political struggle. He also refuted claims of ethnic dominance and emphasized that justice is blind and that everyone is equal before the Constitution and the law.

When asked how citizens can trust that the Court will act in their interests given the low confidence in the judiciary, he answered that they will believe through the power of their arguments.

“Through the strength of our arguments, they will trust us. The power of our arguments lies in our decisions. If people read our decisions carefully, they will notice that often, before reading them, people already pass judgment. Nobody reads the decisions. The strength of our arguments is how we will prove to the citizens that our decisions are free from any premises. I cannot comment on who or how someone was elected. The Parliament is responsible for electing the judges of the Constitutional Court. From that moment on, no matter who they were or how they were chosen, once they take the oath, we give a solemn statement in the Parliament that we will protect what? - national, ethnic, religious, legal, or political affiliation? No, we will protect the Constitution,” he said.

Asked about the timing of this case being placed on the agenda, he responded that ideal conditions never exist.

“My first press conference, two days after my election, I came here and declared that all cases would be brought for review, all of them. Now, you ask me why now. When do you think is the right time, if not now? I don’t give an answer, I put it on the agenda. It’s my duty; I put it on the agenda. My question is, when have we ever had a period with ideal conditions, and what are those ideal conditions? Do you think that if we postpone it for two years, in two, three, four, or five years, it will no longer be as sensitive? It will still be the same," he said.

The Constitutional Court of North Macedonia has decided today to hold a preparatory session for the discussion of initiatives aimed at assessing the constitutionality and legality of the Law on the Use of Languages.

The case on the Law on Languages consists of 13 initiatives from different citizens, political parties, and organizations. It was formed in 2019 and became relevant this autumn following remarks by the Venice Commission.

With regard to the initiatives, the Constitutional Court can either reject them, decide to proceed with the entire law or just parts of it, temporarily suspend its implementation until a final decision is reached, or send it back to Parliament for further consideration.

Photo: MIA