Gjoko Ristov trial continues in Skopje Criminal Court

The trial of Court of Appeals judge Gjoko Ristov continued at the Criminal Court in Skopje, featuring conflicting testimonies from prosecution and defense witnesses.

A prosecution witness, a cyber security specialist and mobile phone shop owner, testified that he did not receive a phone from Ristov on December 3, 2025, despite inquiries regarding a specific Samsung device. During cross-examination by defense attorney Zvonko Davidoviq, the witness explained his shop's logging procedures and noted that he had previously informed the prosecution that the specific device they were seeking was not in his possession.

A defense witness, a lawyer who participated in a raid at Ristov's parents' home in Negotino, also provided testimony. The proceedings concluded with prosecutor Iskra Haxhi Vasileva requesting the court to review case files for Marian Stoevski and Fehmi Stafa, both of whom were defendants in cases presided over by Ristov. The trial is scheduled to resume on October 6 with further defense witnesses.