Staff shortage and tight budget hinder prosecutors, Council tells parliament
Report to parliament says 2025 saw 152 complaints while prosecutors are 67 short of the required staff level.
The Council of Public Prosecutors told lawmakers that staff shortages and limited funding remain the principal obstacles to the work of the Public Prosecutor's Office, a situation the council links to the bulk of complaints it received in 2025.
Presenting the council's 2025 report to the parliamentary Committee on the Political System and Inter-Community Relations, Council president Bashkim Besimi said that although some new prosecutors have been appointed in certain locations, overall capacity is still far from what is required.
Shortfall of prosecutors and concentrated complaints
According to the report, the system needs a total of 261 prosecutors to operate nationwide, but by December 2025 only 194 were actively working — a shortfall of 67 prosecutors. The council recorded 152 complaints in 2025; more than 84% were filed by private individuals and over 92% came from persons identifying themselves as injured parties. Besimi told deputies that the majority of the complaints related to cases handled by the Skopje Prosecutor's Office.
The council also noted that the dedicated budgetary funds for the prosecution service have not been sufficient to cover its needs in full. Opposition MPs responded by saying the prosecution keeps reporting a lack of money, insufficient capacities and too few prosecutors, and they asked council representatives whether they are satisfied with the current state of affairs. Parliamentary majority members said the report was accurate and revealed the practical problems the prosecution faces.
On the composition of the prosecutorial corps, the report states that of the 194 active prosecutors 55% are women and 45% are men. By ethnic affiliation, more than 68% are Macedonians, a little over 22% are Albanians, with the remainder from non-majority communities.
The committee had also been due to discuss the Judicial Council and its budget, but representatives from that body did not attend despite being invited, a no-show that drew criticism from the opposition.
Photo: press material from the event
