The Judicial Council has elected Judge Daniela Dimovska as president of the Skopje Basic Criminal Court - the court that handles the country's toughest cases, from organized crime to corruption. The decision was made with 11 votes "for" and four votes under the Badinter principle, following a public-call procedure.

Only two candidates applied - Dimovska, who had already served as acting president for a year, and Judge Ivica Stefanovski from the same court. The selection commission announced that both applications were in order and that the candidates passed the required tests and interviews. Before taking on this role, Dimovska worked in the Department for Organized Crime and Corruption - which means the person who will now lead the court comes from its most sensitive department.

The election itself is a routine procedure. But the context isn't: the Skopje Basic Criminal Court is where the cases that most test citizens' trust in justice are decided. When only two judges apply to lead the country's most important criminal court, it's worth asking - is that a sign of a high bar, or of a role that carries more pressure than many are willing to take on?

The pace of some of the most closely watched court proceedings in the country now depends on the new president. Citizens won't judge her by the Judicial Council's votes, but by how quickly and how fairly cases move under her leadership. The chair has been won - the work is just beginning.