Strasbourg says “no” to another Macedonian nominee for the ECHR; Jelena Ristić named as replacement

The Council of Europe's advisory panel has returned the North Macedonian committee's proposal that included Ana Dangova Hug for the third slot on the list of candidates for a judge at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg.

After that decision, the committee replaced Dangova Hug on the list and will send lawyer Jelena Ristić as its new nominee to the Council of Europe, the committee's chairman Kostadinovski said. The move represents another change in a selection process that has faced repeated delays and objections.

Selection process marked by cancellations and re-lists

The procedure to name a Macedonian judge to the ECHR began about a year and a half ago and has since gone through multiple setbacks. An initial commission proposed Gabriela Gajdova, prosecutor Lenche Ristoska and lawyer Yordan Apostolski, but the Government annulled that list before forwarding it to the Council of Europe, stating the candidates did not meet the requirements.

A subsequent commission, chaired by the president of the Constitutional Court and including the presidents of the Supreme Criminal and Civil Courts and the director of the Academy for Judges and Public Prosecutors, reconvened last November. That panel proposed, alongside Apostolski, attorney Natasha Boshkova and Sasho Georgievski, dean of the Faculty of Law "Justinian I".

In May it emerged that a replacement would again be needed for Apostolski's spot, and with the advisory panel's latest decision on Ana Dangova Hug the list has been adjusted for a third time. Kostadinovski admitted the process has taken too long and expressed hope that the Council of Europe will appoint a judge either at its October session or, if not then, in January.

Judge Jovan Ilievski, who had been expected to leave Strasbourg earlier this year, remains in post at the ECHR until a successor is formally chosen.

Photo: press material from the event