Prime Minister Dimitriev announces comprehensive reform of security services
Prime Minister Emil Dimitriev met with the heads of the Interior Ministry on Tuesday and announced an action plan to implement security reforms that would be based on the priorities set out by the Priebe report. Dimitriev said that the goal of the reforms is to have the security services operating in a way that would be dependent on the persons who are appointed to top positions.
"Reforming the security system is the most important part of the Priebe report. It is good to say that currently there is strong consensus between all political parties and institutions to implement the reforms", said the Prime Minister after meeting Interior Minister Oliver Spasovski, his deputies Agim Nuhiu and Oliver Andonov, and the head of the Bureau for Public Security Mitko Cavkov. German expert Reinhard Priebe, who prepared the report commissioned by the European Union, proposed that Macedonia introduces greater civilian control over the UBK security service and makes sure to limit its powers, following the major wiretapping affair in early 2015 which caused a political crisis.
Prime Minister Dimitriev said that international experts are also being consulted in the preparation of the reforms, and that Cavkov is coordinating the efforts, with the first phase expected to be completed by December. "Following these reforms we will have a much better organized security system in the country that would be able to better respond to the new challenges. Reforms will be multi-layered and will impact several elements of the way the state operates. All institutions that in some way relate to the operation of the security services will also be involved. The end result would be to have services organized under the EU model and controlled by the Parliament committees", said the Prime Minister.