North Macedonia prosecutors vie for organized crime unit leadership

Five public prosecutors have officially entered the race to lead the Basic Public Prosecution for the Prosecution of Organized Crime and Corruption in North Macedonia. The election follows the conclusion of the four-year mandate of the current head, Islam Abazi, who was elected in 2022.

According to the official list from the Council of Public Prosecutors, the candidates are Faton Azizi, Trajçe Pelivanov, Lidija Raiçeviq, Iskra Haxhi Vasileva, and Jovan Cvetanovski. The election is scheduled for October 28, where public prosecutors will cast direct and secret ballots.

The candidates bring diverse professional backgrounds. Faton Azizi has been involved in cases such as ‘Aditiv’, ‘Botoks’, and ‘FFM’, focusing on investigative capacities and digital forensics. Trajçe Pelivanov has experience in the High Public Prosecution and previously led the Organized Crime Prosecution temporarily. Lidija Raiçeviq has served as a public prosecutor since 2003, while Iskra Haxhi Vasileva is currently handling cases involving high-level judicial figures. Jovan Cvetanovski brings over 25 years of experience and is known for his work on the ‘Mazuti’ case.