NORTH MACEDONIA BAR ASSOCIATION
Skopje, 15.03.2020
To
Government of Republic of North Macedonia
Mr. Oliver Spasovski, President
Ministry of Justice of Republic of North Macedonia
Dr. Renata Deskoska, Minister
Supreme Court of the Republic of North Macedonia
M.L. Faik Arslani, Acting President
Ministry of Health of Republic of North Macedonia
Dr. Venko Filipce, Minister
SUBJECT: Request for the establishment of precautions and protective measures against
coronavirus in the judicial system
Dear All,
The North Macedonia Bar Association is closely monitoring the Government measures,
regarding the situation with coronavirus in Republic of North Macedonia, and is briefing our
members about them.,.
In regard to the already enacted protective and precautionary measures, We inform you that
the North Macedonia Bar Association has around 5.000 members – attorneys, law associates
and apprentices. All of them, by doing their job daily, are, with massive dynamic, moving
around:
– The Courts in Republic of North Macedonia – with huge number of civil and criminal
cases
– Primary Public Prosecutor's Offices- pre-trial investigation and investigation procedure
– Correctional facilities – where they visit detainees
– Multiple Government institutions
– Public defender's office
– Social work centers
– Notaries and executors
– Ministry of Internal Affairs – police stations, administrative services, various sectors and
departments
– Legal entities, companies and others
During the daily operation, in the courts are scheduled huge number of hearings for various
cases, especially in the civil courts, that is around 1000 trials per day.
Specifically, according to the data released on the web-site of Primary Court 2 Skopje, on
16.03.2020 from 08.30 to 10.30h, 100 hearings are scheduled.
That means that just for this period of 2 hours in the Primary Court 2 Skopje are circulating
minimum 500 people (attorneys, judges, court clerks, parties, witnesses and others).
Regarding the above mentioned, it is obvious that during the day on the territory of this
country are maintained thousands of trials, which are attended by thousands of people who
have contact with each other.
The situation is the same in the criminal courts, because there are also cases with multiple
defendants, defenders and witnesses. Furthermore, because of their character, the trials last
longer.
The contact with the detainees is particular problem, especially when bringing the detainees on
trials and their contact with other members in the criminal cases. This situation is a big danger
for the spread of the coronavirus in the Correctional facilities, because the people that are
imprisoned in Prison Skopje do not have appropriate medical treatment for this kind of illness.
Furthermore, we emphasize that the attorneys in Republic of North Macedonia by performing
their job are traveling outside of the cities where they live and have contact with huge number
of citizens of Republic of North Macedonia or foreigners.
We consider that it is not necessary to highlight the content and the dynamic of the job,
because they are already generally known.
As a consequence of the above mentioned, The North Macedonia Bar Association is demanding
from you to bring measures by which all court hearings shall be postponed, except the
emergency procedures (cases with interim measures and detention cases)
Sincerely,
The North Macedonia Bar Association
President
Ljubomir Mihajlovski, Attorney at law
