Several hours before the Interior Ministry’s press-conference on Monday, PM Hristijan Mickoski said there was reasonable suspicion of misuse and crime within the National Lottery and by individual high-ranking officials of former cabinets.
He didn’t reveal details because, as he said, he’s waiting for the Interior Ministry to officially present information. Mickoski didn’t give a direct answer to the question whether ex-PM Dimitar Kovacevski, too, had been involved in the Lottery case.
“I have some initial information, but I would refrain from commenting until the official press-release from the Interior Ministry comes. We’ve said that there would be a strong, robust fight against crime and corruption that, based on reasonable suspicion, were committed,” he noted.
According to Mickoski, the robust fight started with the operation against the terrorist cell and continued with the activities against people suspected of a series of crimes, including murder. Asked about the US blacklist issue, he said he wasn’t able to comment.
“We’re the Macedonian Government, they’re the American Government. They have their processes, rules, and selection manner. However, from what I’ve heard, in the period ahead, there will be new names,” he stressed, adding that in the period ahead, it would be updated on the basis of evidence at the disposal of the organs creating the sanctions list.
Regarding the judiciary, Mickoski denied there was particisation of the Judicial Council and Council of Public Prosecutors. Regarding the EU path, he said the EU idea rested on the values, not on bilateral disputes. Among those that the PM will meet will be EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.