SkopjeDiem Macedonia in English
US Ambassador Angela Aggeler stated in an interview for Telma that the US Department of
State decided to blacklist Struga Mayor Ramiz Merko after acquiring strong and credible
evidence about his involvement in corruptive activities. “Ramiz Merko illegally acquired
funds, and used his position as Mayor to interfere into and influence judicial and other public
processes. This kind of corruptive behaviour seriously damages the processes of rule of law,
and decreases the citizens’ trust in the elected officials. I also must say that I am positively
surprised by the reactions against this case, and now it is up to the judicial organs of the
state to act upon these findings. I hope that this sends a clear message to all that state
officials that abuse power are not welcome to the US. These processes of the US Department
of State are rather complex and sometimes may take more time than usual, but I can assure
you that Merko is not the only elect official who is under detailed investigation for corruption
by Washington,” Aggeler said.
