SKOPJE – The President, Gjorgi Ivanov decided to withdraw the remaining 34 pardons which he had granted on April 12 of this year, it said in a written statement by Ivanov, sent from his cabinet this afternoon.
In the statement, it says that after the President had annulled 22 pardons, referring to the politicians, and none of the remaining 34 people who were granted pardons, submitted requests to have their pardons withdrawn.
“Ten days have passed since the annulment of the first pardons – immunity from prosecution without conducting a procedure for a total of twenty-two politically exposed individuals. Since then, the other individuals, according to recent legal changes, had the opportunity to submit personal requests to have their pardons annulled. However, despite the many declarative announcements of some of them in public, that they would do so, so far, none of those pardoned requested to have their pardons revoked. In the last ten days, we have witnessed various interpretations of this decision, contradictory to the political scene and saw many attempts to score petty daily – political points from that decision. I’m confident, as I was then when I made the first decision, that it will contribute to a national reconciliation and will offer a way out of the political crisis for the good of the country. Because of this, today I decided to cancel the remaining pardons I had granted on April the 12th”, said the affidavit by Ivanov.
President Ivanov eventually said in the statement, “unlike April the 12th, today we live in a new reality in Macedonia and in terms of external threats and security risks, we have functioning institutions that can cope with the challenges to come”.