Macedonians Urged to Rally in Defence of Special Prosecution

Activists have called on Macedonians to protest in Skopje on Monday at 5pm in defence of the Special Prosecution, SJO - which they say is again being smeared and attacked by the government and by the media under control of the ruling VMRO DPMNE party.

The institution, formed last year as party of an internationally brokered accord to investigate high-level corruption, has repeatedly crossed swords with the ruling party.

"The SJO again needs our support," the slogan for the rally posted on the movement's Facebook profile says.

"We must not let the regime think even for a moment that this institution lacks the strong, united and determined support of the citizens!"

In a guerilla action on Sunday night, in preparation for the protest, activists painted part of the facade of the Skopje Criminal Court in bright colours.

The action was designed to highlight the claim that the court was still in the government's grip and was preventing the SJO from functioning properly.

"Of the many requests for the detention [of suspects] filed by the SJO, the Criminal Court has approved only one. On the other hand, between 2012 and 2014, the court approved 707 out of 717 detention requests submitted by the [regular] prosecution," the movement said.

Monday's protest comes amid a long, heated debate in parliament over the SJO's latest  six-monthly report, which continued acrimoniously on Monday.

MPs from the VMRO DPMNE party have accused Chief Special Prosecutor Katica Janeva of incompetence and have rejected her key demands.

She, in turn, has responded to the hostile questioning from MPs with frustration.

"You have kept me here for three days deliberately and will not let me work. For three days, I've sat here...