The Public Prosecution is not going to appeal against defrocked bishop Jovan Vraniskovski’s early release because it believes he met the legal conditions for exercising this right. Bearing in mind Vraniskovski served more than half of his sentence; that his conduct was in keeping with all prison rules; that he fulfilled all his work responsibilities; and that the damage he inflicted with his illicit activities had been compensated for, the Prosecution believes all legal criteria for granting him early release have been met.

If no other institution appeals against the Criminal Court's decision within the next five days, Vraniskovski will be released on 19 January and his parole will last until 23 March 2017.

Vraniskovski's release is the condition for resuming talks between the Macedonian Orthodox Church-Ohrid Archbishopric (MPC-OA) and the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) with mediation from the Russian Orthodox Church over MPC-OA's autocephalous status. Analysts however are divided over whether Vraniskovski's release is truly going to propel things in a positive direction.