Haxhi Vasileva: Prosecutors must withstand pressure without fear

Iskra Haxhi Vasileva, elected head of the Prosecutor’s Office for the Prosecution of Organized Crime and Corruption after receiving the most votes from prosecutors, says she believes she will maintain her independence in the face of political pressure. She made her first public appearance at the trial of judge Gjoko Ristov and will continue to lead the case after taking up her new post.

Haxhi Vasileva said prosecutors must withstand pressure and that their decisions would be based on the law, facts and evidence.

“I am convinced that I will remain immune. I repeat: perhaps it is natural for the prosecution service to face difficulties because of the very nature of its work. We, as prosecutors, have a duty to resist pressure and set boundaries; we must not be afraid. Exerting pressure may be part of human nature, as is integrity, which I am convinced many prosecutors possess,” she said.

Asked by a journalist how she would react if the prime minister called her, as he had called the Republic’s Public Prosecutor, Nenad Saveski, Haxhi Vasileva described the situation as hypothetical. However, she said cooperation between the authorities and state institutions was not a problem for her.

“If it involves some kind of interference or an emergency, then that is a different matter. Under the Constitution, we are independent and make decisions based on the law, facts and evidence,” Haxhi Vasileva said.