Skopje, 7 November 2025 (MIA) - A pre-trial judge, after hearing the statements of five bribery suspects in connection with the IPARD Program, who were brought before the Skopje-based Criminal Court Friday afternoon, ordered 30-day detention for four of them, and house arrest for one person.

Upon proposal by a public prosecutor, the four suspects have been ordered to serve 30-day detention because they are considered a flight risk and could influence witnesses as well as due to the possibility of repeating the crime, and regarding the fifth suspect, the court has accepted the amended proposal by the public prosecutor to order house arrest, the Criminal Court said in a press release. 

The parties have the right to appeal against these decisions before the Criminal Council. 

Police officers from the Interior Ministry’s organized crime unit and investigators yesterday arrested five people, including the director of the Agency for Financial Support of Agriculture and Rural Development, a legal entity manager who, although they didn’t meet the conditions after receiving a promise for a gift of 50,000 euros, signed yesterday an agreement for the use of financial funds from the IPARD Program, as well as three other people, including employees of the Public Revenue Office and the Ministry of Agriculture, who served as intermediaries in giving bribes. 

A portion of the money used as bribery, amounting to EUR 400, was found and seized during yesterday’s searches, said the Prosecution Office and the Interior Ministry on Friday.

The Interior Ministry said Friday that police officers yesterday arrested five people with the prime suspect, 77, being suspected of bribery, whereas three people, aged 44, 35 and 57, as intermediaries were suspected of taking bribe.

Фото: МИА архива