The President of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of North Macedonia, Ms Dobrila Kacarska, and all of the judges had a meeting with Mr Rainer Wieland, the Vice President of the European Parliament and member of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs of the European
Parliament.
Ongoing issues were discussed at the meeting, including the non-election of two additional judges by the Assembly, as well as the mode of operation from the initial stage of submitting initiatives and requests to presenting cases at sessions for discussion and voting.
Among other things, it was reported that the average length of court hearings had been cut from nine to four months.
Additionally, President Kacarska highlighted the issues that emerged as a result of the lack of judges in the Court, which currently only consists of 7 judges rather than the 9 required by the Constitution.
During the meeting, it was stressed the importance of bringing a constitutional appeal, in order to provide citizens with a better opportunity to request the protection of all of their fundamental rights by the Constitutional Court.
„Regarding the requirement to file a constitutional appeal, the citizens should exhaust all available options nationally before risking their finances by bringing their appeals to the Court in Strasbourg”, President Kacarska stated.
The causes of the incomplete composition of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of North Macedonia and its effects were of interest to the member of the European Parliament, Mr Wielan, as were the circumstances under which cases go unresolved due to the matter with the
a majority vote, as well as the types of initiatives that are brought to the Court.
The meeting was held in the premises of the Constitutional Court on May 17.