SkopjeDiem Macedonia in English
On Wednesday, the Criminal Court found Karpos Mayor Stevco Jakimovski guilty of abuse of official position and unlawful construction, sentencing him to 3.5 years in prison. Additionally, a Municipality employee was given a suspended sentence of two years.
According to the investigation opened in the past by the Financial Police Administration, Jakimovski allowed the facility of the Municipality, where the administration employees work, to be built without a construction permit and without the appropriate architectural-urbanistic documentation.
The process lasted six years, while the verdict is not effective. In response, Jakimovski said that he was disappointed by the verdict and that there had been a smear campaign against him that had lasted for a long time.
According to him, there is an attempt to “remove us, the ones that have built quality schools and have excellent results in our work, in order to be replaced by those with the purchased degrees”.
He also stated an appeal would be filed before the Appeals Court.
“This is a difficult battle. The battle is against the state. No matter how strong and brave one is, a state is nonetheless a state. We will file an appeal before the Court of Appeals. The arguments are 1,000% on our side”, Jakimovski stressed, adding that there had been pressures and threats against Municipality employees.
The Mayor also stated that pressure was being exerted to discredit him on the eve of the local elections.
“This government is not ashamed of this country being run by persons with purchased degrees”, he stressed, criticizing also “the association that removes everything” that was an obstacle on its path.
