Skopje, 7 September 2023 (MIA) - The swift adoption of the amendments to the Criminal Code in the Parliament through the expedited EU-flagged procedure, thus preventing broad public and expect debate, seriously jeopardizes the legal certainty in the state, said the State Commission for Prevention of Corruption (SCPC) on Thursday.

SCPC expresses its surprise and concern over the way in which the amendments were adopted, especially considering that the Ministry of Justice has asked the Commission to submit an opinion on the draft-amendments to the Criminal Code by 20 September 2023.

It adds that the Criminal Code, one of the pillars of the legal system, should protect the functioning of the rule of law.

SCPC believes that interventions in Articles 353, 353-c and 394 fail to contribute to the strengthened fight against corruption and organized crime, and add to the risk of political bargaining and trading with influence. The fight against corruption will continue to be only declarative, reads the press release.

Photo: MIA archive