Skopje, 2 November 2023 (MIA) - The draft law on amnesty, which was proposed by Justice Minister Krenar Lloga to be approved in a fast-track procedure, is on the agenda of the Parliament's 129th session on Thursday. Opposition party VMRO-DPMNE threatened to block the bill by submitting numerous amendments, and the ruling party SDSM also announced amendments in order to exempt from amnesty those convicted in the 'Monster' case. 

The bill is expected to result in full amnesty to 286 convicts, while 996 convicts are expected to be granted partial amnesty. Currently, 2,114 convicts are serving a prison sentence, whereas 2,813 are to enter prison. Regarding those who are waiting to serve a prison sentence, the Ministry of Justice says it is yet to be decided how many of them will be amnestied. 

Commenting on the draft amnesty law, Minister of Interior Oliver Spasovski said the law doesn't fix the problem strategically and changing a legal solution or passing a special law that will enable amnesty for persons should have a certain ultimate goal. According to him, the strategic approach is in building new prison facilities and putting leg irons in operation so that some of the people could serve their criminal sentence at home. 

"It is not a strategic approach, and it is not in the interest of security to have criminals out of penitentiary facilities, on the streets, because we had one such case of amnesty law where in a very short time, in just three months, it ended up as repeat offenders mainly on thefts, aggravated thefts, robberies, disturbances of public order and peace. In that sense, I believe that absolutely no goal will be achieved," said Spasovski. 

Deputy Minister of Justice, Viktorija Avramovska Madikj said on Monday that the goal of unburdening the penitentiaries doesn't necessarily have to be reached with the amnesty law, as there are also alternative measures. 

She added that the SDSM parliamentary group will submit amendments to the draft law on amnesty regarding the convicts in the 'Monster' case. 

"It is not good that those convicts be amnestied. That's why it was discussed within our parliamentary group that an amendment could be proposed to prevent that, because it is a matter of cases of public interest, as was the 'Monster' case, and our parliamentary group will not allow it. So an amendment will be submitted," said Avramovska Madikj.  

Opposition party VMRO-DPMNE also announced a number of amendments to block the draft amnesty law, regarding which the party spokesperson Naum Stoilkovski said in a TV appearance on Wednesday that it was "a promise by the ruling party to release some people ahead of the elections, and it was drafted in party headquarters in the interest of the ruling party".

Photo: MIA archive