Skopje, 4 February 2026 (MIA) - Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said Wednesday he expects the new state chief prosecutor, soon to be elected, to act as a guardian of the rule of law. 

"The first thing the new chief prosecutor should do is reopen and investigate all shelved documents and cases. Close those where there is no evidence, and submit to court those where there is evidence. Then the court should decide whether or not to start a court procedure. I expect the new chief prosecutor to be a guardian of the rule of law, a generator of justice and fairness," Mickoski said in response to a reporter's question after laying flowers on Goce Delchev's tomb on his 154th birth anniversary. 

The Government at its session on Tuesday reached a conclusion regarding the five candidates who have submitted applications for the Parliament’s public call for election of the state chief prosecutor, and will submit it to the Council of Public Prosecutors in accordance with the legal provisions.

Although Parliament did not disclose the candidates’ names, some of the applicants confirmed they are acting chief public prosecutor Anita Topolova-Isajlovska, prosecutor Lenche Ristovska, Criminal Court judge Nenad Savevski, former Criminal Court president Vladimir Panchevski and Skopje-based prosecutor Lidija Raichevikj.

Anita Topolova Isajlovska was elected acting state chief public prosecutor, succeeding Ljupcho Kocevski who resigned on December 17, 2025. Topolova Isajlovska serves as chief state public prosecutor until a new one is elected, no longer than six months.

Parliament launched the procedure for selecting a new state public prosecutor on January 12, setting a 15-day deadline for submitting applications from the date of publication in the Official Gazette. Candidates are required to have a minimum of 10 years of uninterrupted work experiences as public prosecutors or judges in the field of criminal law.

According to the Law on the Public Prosecutor’s Office, received applications are forwarded to the Government. After the applications are submitted, the Government requests an opinion from the Council of Public Prosecutors on all candidates. The Council is obliged to provide reasoned opinions within 15 days. If the Council does not give a positive opinion on any of the candidates, the Government cannot submit a proposal and recommends that Parliament announce a new call. A new state public prosecutor must be elected with 61 votes from the MPs.

Photo: MIA archive