SkopjeDiem Macedonia in English
At a press conference on Saturday, Foreign Minister Timco Mucunski said a procedure was underway against Ljubomir Frckoski, former Permanent Representative to the UN, over alleged misuse of taxpayer money.
“There are serious indications that there was misuse of public budget funds. According to the indications, six-digit damage, in euros, was caused. I couldn’t say the exact amount. I am providing certain information I am allowed to at this stage because the procedure is underway. Internal proceedings were carried out within the Ministry. Truly, the information I’ve received is very concerning. We will take all necessary measures and, later on, have an obligation to notify relevant judicial institutions”, he said.
Asked about the issue of potential lawsuits by affected persons, Mucunski stated that though they had that right, he was convinced that since the start of his term, the Ministry had always paid attention to full compliance with laws and procedures. In response, Frckoski said even though Mucunski was inexperienced from a ministerial standpoint, the comments were too manipulative and naive.
“I call on the Minister to, publicly, with the minimum number of arguments and evidence, to show a case of, there, it doesn’t have to be six-digit misuse of funds if that’s a lot for him, of two-digit misuse committed on my part, beyond authority”, Frckoski noted.
The ex-Permanent Representative also said that he was calling on Mucunski not to engage in elementary “legal oversights (to get a desired result by constructing alleged misuse)”, by sending unlicenced and retired auditors who are retired and don’t have competence, for which there was evidence and witnesses.
As Frckoski noted, their so-called investigations, acts, and consequent Report cannot be used as any legal evidence in disciplinary and court proceedings. According to him, if Mucunski’s intention is to reach the truth and facts, he should carry out “normal” investigations, not “vmro-type” ones.
