The Advisory Pardoning Commission is a working body of the President of the Republic of Macedonia made up of a President and nine members. The President of the Commission summons a meeting upon his initiative and upon a conclusion by the Commission. The Commission examines each pardoning request and gives its opinion on each proposal submitted by the Minister of Justice. The Commission adopts an opinion by a majority vote of the members present. When preparing the pardoning proposals, the Commission is guided by the following criteria:

• The nature, kind and severity of the crime;

• Convict’s personality and previous lifestyle, the convict’s conduct after the conviction and during the sentence, his/her attitude regarding the perpetrated crime, previous convictions, the degree of re-socialization, age and health condition of the convict, and his/her family conditions;

• Influence of the pardoning on the environment where the crime was committed;

• For convicted women, it is taken in consideration whether they are mothers of minors and unattended children, and,

• Convicts’ age.

Members of the Commission submit their proposals and opinions to the President of the Republic of Macedonia, who makes the final decision. The President of the Republic of Macedonia pardons individuals for crimes specified by appropriate laws of the Republic of Macedonia, according to the articles of the Criminal Law and the Law on Pardoning.

By granting pardons, the President of the Republic of Macedonia grants: freedom from criminal pursuit; total or partial absolution from the sentence; replaces the sentence with a reduced one or with alternative measures; decides whether the conviction should be dismissed; decides on shorter sentencing. By granting pardon, the following sentences can be abolished or reduced: prohibition from performing a professional duty, prohibition from driving a motor vehicle, and expelling a foreigner from the country.

President of the Advisory Pardoning Commission:

Prof. Dr. Gale Galev, Professor at the Faculty of Law

Members of the Advisory Pardoning Commission:

Simeon Malinkov, Judge in retirement
Stojanče Ribarev, President of Court of Appeals - Shtip
Ismet Ramadani, Former Member of Parliament
Mentor Kjoku, Former Member of Judicial Council
Blagorodna Dulik, Member of Parliament
Ljupčo Švrgovski, Public Prosecutor
Prof. Dr. Metodija Kanevčev, Professor at the Faculty of Law
Abdurahman Aliti, Former Member of Parliament