Skopje, 30 June 2023 (MIA) – Several former officials are a part of the investigation led against 15 individuals, launched Friday by the Public Prosecutor’s Office on Friday under the codename “Phoenix”. The suspects include Macedonian, as well as, Italian citizens, who are under suspicion of abuse of office and money laundering related to the procurement of a part of the “Skopje 2014” monuments.

At a press conference Friday, Prosecutor Ljubomir Lape stated that requests for search warrants, confiscation of property, freezing of bank accounts and detention have been filed.

“The PPO is currently investigating 15 natural persons and seven legal persons, including one citizen of the Republic of Italy and three Italian legal persons, due to suspicions of abuse of office and money laundering,” said Prosecutor Lape.

Based on the evidence, according to the Prosecutor, the first suspect used his power as Prime Minister and leader of a political party that was in power at the time for political and financial benefits, he did so alongside his close associates in the Government and the party – the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the state secretary at the Ministry of Culture, later Minister, the President of the Council of the municipality of Centar, the Mayor of Centar and other individuals.

“The suspects began the realization of a project publicly known as ‘Skopje 2014’, for which there is no written document, decision, project or a program from a relevant state body. Through the Ministry of Culture, they drafted and submitted initiatives for the construction of monuments under the pretext that they are landmarks of local significance to the citizens of the municipality of Centar. Even though they were related to individuals of importance to the country, the initiatives for the monuments were submitted to the Council of the municipality, and procedures were launched to construct memorial monuments, bypassing Parliament which is the sole legal authority on this matter,” said the Prosecutor.

In this way, said Lape, by bypassing Parliament, the suspects secured EUR 57 million from the state budget in order to finance their acts, and illegally transferred the funds to the municipality of Center.

The Prosecutor did not point to specific names, but based on the holders of the indicated posts at the time, the suspects include former Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, former Deputy PM and Minister of Finance Zoran Stavrevski, former Minister of Culture Elizabeta Kancheska-Milevska, two former Centar Mayors – Vladimir Todorovikj and Violeta Alarova, and the former President of the Council of the municipality of Centar, Vladimir Zdravev. The suspects also include one Italian citizen and three Italian companies.

The crimes were committed in the period between 2007 and 2013.

When asked how long it would take to file charges, the Prosecutor said he doesn’t know because they are waiting for evidence from other foreign countries.

Earlier on Friday, the Ministry of Interior said that five persons were detained late yesterday in Skopje under the suspicion of abuse of office and money laundering.

According to media reports, "Tineks" market chain owner Vladimir Todorovic, who is a former Mayor of Centar municipality in Skopje, and former chair of the Centar Council, Vladimir Zdravev, are among the persons detained.

Photo: MIA