N. Macedonia's leaders must limit political interference in judiciary, says US State Department
Skopje, 2 July 2023 (MIA) – The United States will continue to support governments, civil society partners, independent media and citizens in the fight against organized crime and corruption, said the US Department of State in answer to a question by the Voice of America in Macedonian on whether the US is one of the five countries that have provided international legal aid in obtaining evidence for the investigation related to “Skopje 2014”.
On Friday, the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office announced it is launching an investigation of 15 natural and 7 legal persons on suspicion of abuse of office and money laundering related to 11 monuments from the “Skopje 2014” project, with over EUR 16 million from the budget suspected to have been laundered.
“The fight against corruption in the Western Balkans is a top priority of President Biden’s administration. The US will continue to support governments, civil society partners, independent media and citizens in the fight against organized crime and corruption, boosting transparency and accountability, and further strengthening the rule of law and the democratic institutions,” the State Department’s spokesperson told VOA.
According to the Voice of America, the statement further said “the leaders in North Macedonia must demonstrate strong, tangible results in the fight against corruption, by enhancing institutional independence and limiting political interference, especially in the judiciary, which is of essential importance for the fulfillment of the EU accession goals and building the citizens’ trust in the Government.”
The suspects in the investigation, code-named “Phoenix”, include former Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, who fled to Hungary, and the former ministers of finance and culture, Zoran Stavreski and Elizabeta Kancheska-Milevska. The former Mayor of the municipality of Centar, Vladimir Todorovikj, was placed under house arrest as part of the case.
According to the Prosecutor’s Office, the crimes were committed during the period between 2007 and 2013.
Photo: MIA Archive
