Skopje, 18 March 2024 (MIA) - Today’s designations of former Special Chief Prosecutor Katica Janeva and current presidential candidate and mayor Stevco Jakimovski should not come as a surprise to anyone, U.S. Ambassador to North Macedonia, Angela Aggeler said, adding that the United States will continue to name officials of any party, branch of government, or community engaged in significant corruption.

Aggeler, in a Facebook post, said the people of North Macedonia deserve justice and accountability from their institutions.

“Today’s designations of former Special Chief Prosecutor Katica Janeva and current presidential candidate and mayor Stevco Jakimovski should not come as a surprise to anyone. The United States will continue to name officials of any party, branch of government, or community engaged in significant corruption. The people of North Macedonia deserve justice and accountability from their institutions to stop the tide of criminal behavior and to stem the cancer of corruption,” said U.S. Ambassador Angela Aggeler in the official Facebook page of the U.S. Embassy in Skopje.

The U.S. Department of State announces on Monday the public designation of former Special Chief Prosecutor of North Macedonia, Katica Janeva; current mayor of Karpos, North Macedonia, Stevco Jakimovski; and former mayor of Kacanik, Kosovo, Xhabir Zharku. Their actions undermined the rule of law and the public’s faith in their respective governments’ democratic institutions and public processes.

“In her official capacity as former North Macedonia Special Chief Prosecutor, Janeva was involved in corrupt acts, including using her political influence and official power for personal benefit.  There is credible information Janeva solicited and accepted a bribe to influence a prosecution under her purview,” reads the press release of the U.S. Department of State.

In his official capacity as mayor of Karpos municipality, North Macedonia, Jakimovski was involved in corrupt acts, including using his official position to interfere with urban development and procurement processes to benefit himself and his associates, reads the press release.

In his official capacity as mayor of Kacanik municipality, Kosovo, Zharku was involved in corrupt acts, including using his position to interfere with procurement processes to unlawfully permit construction on property owned by the municipality, to benefit himself and his associates.

These designations are made under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2023, as carried forward by the Continuing Appropriations Act.  In addition to Janeva and Jakimovski, the Department of State is designating their immediate family members – Jakimovski’s two adult sons, Goce Jakimovski and Damjan Jakimovski, and Janeva’s spouse and adult son, Venci Janev and Lazar Janev.
These actions render Janeva, Jakimovski, Zharku, and their immediate family members generally ineligible for entry into the United States, reads the press release.

“These designations reaffirm the U.S. commitment to supporting the rule of law and strengthening democratic institutions throughout the Balkans. The Department will continue to use all available authorities to promote accountability for corrupt actors in the region and globally,” reads the press release of the U.S. Department of State.

Earlier, the U.S. Department of State added to its "blacklist" several more familiar names, including former Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Kocho Angjushev, businessmen Orce Kamchev and Sergey Samsonenko, and Struga Mayor Ramiz Merko. They joined the already blacklisted fugitive former Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski and the convicted former head of the country's Administration for Security and Counterintelligence Sasho Mijalkov.

Photo: MIA archive/ Facebook page of the U.S. Embassy