SkopjeDiem Macedonia in English
The big operation carried out by the police and Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office for Prosecution of Organized Crime and Corruption on Tuesday resulted in over 20 people, including former Bitola power plant and ESM heads, arrested.
Among the 23 suspects in the Additive case is also ex-ESM director Vasko Kovacevski. However, according to information, he hasn’t been in North Macedonia since October. During Tuesday’s searches, police found over 130,000 euros in cash on the suspects, who are suspected of crimes related to public procurements for additives for the Bitola, Oslomej, and Negotino plants.
Citing information from Interior Minister Pance Toskovski, PM Hristijan Mickoski said there had been an organized group suspected of having committed criminal activities worth 6.5 million euros, adding that evidence had been secured against all of them. As far as Kovacevski is concerned, the PM’s stand is that he will be soon brought back to the country.
“A lot of evidence has been found. However, I will leave that to the Prosecutor’s Office and then to the courts. We have to trust presumption of innocence. However, what’s been found is truly worrying,” he noted.
Among the suspects is also another ex-ESM head, Vasko Stefanov, who, together with ex-Bitola plant head Pece Matevski, are considered members of a criminal association and suspected of helping misuse of the procedure for public procurements. Stefanov was arrested at Tabanovce crossing. He said he’d been abroad and decided to return to the country after he’d found out about the case.
Also, Ardijan Muca, former commercial director of ESM, is suspected of abuse of official office, while his predecessor, Danco Stojanovski is considered to be the organizer of the procurement processes.. Also according to unofficial information, some will face a 30-day detention measure, while others will be issued measures of precaution.
