Panche Toshkovski: Investigation into 17-year-old Biljana’s death continues; internal control found no police errors

The bill intended to strengthen protection against domestic violence was submitted to the Assembly in August but has not yet been scheduled for debate, Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski said on November 9, 2026. He told reporters he could not say exactly when MPs will vote on the measure, though parliamentary sources expect it to reach the agenda in early December after a shortened procedure.

Key changes the ministry proposes

Toshkovski outlined several changes that would expand police powers and introduce new safeguards for victims. Under the draft, officers who witness a suspected domestic violence incident would be able to order the alleged perpetrator to leave the home immediately, even if that person is the legal owner. The person would receive an oral notice in the first two days and a written notification within six hours stating where they will stay during the exclusion.

The court would then be required to rule in expedited proceedings on a 30-day exclusion order. The proposal also foresees electronic monitoring for offenders via ankle bracelets.

Commenting on the trade-off between property rights and personal safety, Toshkovski said: "I have no doubt which right is more important, the right to ownership or the right to life. Whenever the question is posed which right to protect, I am for the one that is more important, and that is the right to life."

Non-governmental groups that contributed to drafting the bill say lawmakers' objections are not to the substance but to terminology such as "gender-based violence." Elena Dimushevska of the National Network Against Violence Against Women warned that some politicians resist the term because they do not accept the language used to describe the problem. She said: "There is resistance to the law because it contains terms like gender-based violence. It cannot be changed because there is no other term that can explain it."

Toshkovski also addressed the ongoing criminal investigation into the killing of 17-year-old Biljana from Bogdanci. He said the probe is still under way and that internal police control found no procedural errors by officers. Biljana had reported an assault by her partner at the end of September; social services had requested protective measures and the court issued precautionary measures. Prosecutors did not seek pretrial detention for the accused. On November 4 he set her vehicle on fire and then killed himself.

So far this year, Toshkovski noted, seven women have been murdered in the first ten months of 2026 — a statistic the government says underlines the urgency of the planned legal changes.

Photo: press material from the event