Zoran Gerasimovski elected acting President of the Appellate Court

The Judicial Council elected former colleague Zoran Gerasimovski as acting President of the Appellate Court, after the incumbent president Meri Dika was elected as a judge to the Constitutional Court by the Assembly.

The vote took place at a Council session, during which three members joined online via President Kambovski’s phone due to their absence from Skopje. Judge Tanja Mileva appeared as the opposing candidate and, according to the scoring, was ranked highest with 197 points, but only Antoneta Dimovska (who nominated her) and Suzana Joshevska Anastasovska voted for her.

A short exchange was noted before the vote at the session:

"Are we going with Judge Ivica Nikolovski’s nomination, colleague Antoneta? Against, I already had a justification, Judge Dženeta? Yes, the nomination for Zoran Gerasimovski FOR."

Explanations and reactions

Antoneta Dimovska justified the choice by recalling that Gerasimovski had withdrawn from the Judicial Council in a difficult phase for the institution, while Suzana Joshevska Anastasovska highlighted the scoring among the candidates:

"Zoran Gerasimovski actually left the Judicial Council when it was most difficult, so now we can also value that," said Antoneta Dimovska – member of the Judicial Council.

"Judge Tanja Mileva is the highest-scored, with 197 points. The others who are above her are either retired or in the Supreme Court," said Suzana Joshevska Anastasovska, member of the Judicial Council.

Ivica Nikolovski, who nominated Gerasimovski, and members who supported his choice, emphasized that he is a judge with a long judicial career and previously served as a deputy at the Appellate Court. As Nikolovski said:

"During the last year, this colleague was a member of the Judicial Council. And even though it is three years, we can still observe, if we look at the points, that he has a quality. Even with one year’s work results not taken into account, he is still highly scored," said Ivica Nikolovski – member of the Judicial Council.

Dženeta Bektovic added that previous colleagues have already worked with Gerasimovski and that he possesses managerial abilities and experience in the civil department:

"Previous colleagues from the Judicial Council have already worked with Zoran Gerasimovski; the judge also has excellent managerial abilities and particularly the circumstance that Judge Zoran Gerasimovski is a judge in the civil department," said Dženeta Bektovic – member of the Judicial Council.

The Constitutional Court announced that Meri Dika has already started working after the Assembly majority yesterday voted her in as a judge of the Constitutional Court. Reports emphasized that Dika had been a witness in the 'Racket' case against former Special Public Prosecutor Office prosecutor Katica Janeva and Bojan Jovanovski (Boki 13); it was also mentioned that her sister, Agapi Dika, was president of an NGO linked to Jovanovski and also testified in the case.

After the decision, the Judicial Council immediately announced a call for the vacant position of President of the Appellate Court.

Photo: press material from the event