Businessmen Asmir Jahoski and Ratko Kapushevski were arrested, the office of the former director of the Service for General and Joint Affairs (SOZR), Pece Mircevski, was raided, and there were "indications" about the whereabouts of Artan Grubi.

These are some of the news that was given to the citizens of North Macedonia during 2025 about suspected high-profile corruption cases, for which there is still no epilogue; neither indictments nor decisions to halt investigations by prosecutors.

How far have the investigations progressed at the end of this year, when the Public Prosecutor's Office of North Macedonia is about to elect a new chief, following the departure of Ljupco Kocevski from the post of state prosecutor?

Fuel oil is sent for expertise to Serbia, assistance from professors and the Ministry of Internal Affairs is expected
Businessman Asmir Jahoski, known to the public for his oil company Pucko Petrol, as well as the owners of the RKM company, Ratko Kapushevski and Erxhan Sulkoski, are awaiting the outcome of the investigation in which they are suspects, related to the supply of fuel oil for the needs of the Negotino Thermal Power Plant, in the period from 2021 to 2023.

They are just three of a total of 13 individuals, as well as one company, involved in the investigation where prosecutors suspect that the state budget was damaged by 167.5 million euros.

The latest information on the stage the investigation is in is that the Basic Public Prosecution Office for the Prosecution of Organized Crime and Corruption (PTHP KOKK) is awaiting responses and documents from other institutions.

In this case, samples of fuel oil have been sent for expertise to an accredited laboratory in Serbia.

The results from there arrived on November 27, after which the prosecution, as stated in the response to the Balkan Service of Radio Free Europe (REL), requested professional assistance from the Institute of Chemistry at the Faculty of Natural and Mathematical Sciences and the Faculty of Technology, both part of the State University "St. Cyril and Methodius" in Skopje.

They were supposed to recommend professors who would help clarify issues arising from the expertise.

"Although both institutions were obliged to make the nomination within 10 days of submitting the request, to date the prosecution has not received any response," the Office of the Prosecutor General's Office (OPK) told REL.

In addition to the faculties, the prosecution has been waiting for a response from the Ministry of Internal Affairs for a longer time.

The PTHP KOKK emphasize that they needed additional documentation for fuel oil supplies to the Negotino TPP and from the Production Sector at the North Macedonian Power Plants (ESM), so in September they ordered the MIA to provide them.

"The public prosecutor expects that the data, documentation and analysis requested by the Ministry of Internal Affairs will be submitted by the end of this year, after which he will make a decision on the further course of the procedure," the Public Prosecutor's Office of the Criminal Investigation Department added.

Meanwhile, precautionary measures are in place for the suspected businessmen, who were initially in custody and then released on bail.

Jahoski, Kapushevski and Sulkoski are required to appear in court from time to time and have provided financial guarantees, depositing money for compensation for damage. In addition, Kapushevski and Sulkoski have had their passports confiscated, which does not apply to Jahoski.

The criminal offenses that are the subject of this investigation with 13 suspects and one company are: misuse of the public call procedure, awarding a public procurement contract or public-private partnership, and money laundering.

The other suspects in the investigation are people who have held high positions in ESM, from the general director and sector directors, to chairmen and members of committees related to public procurement.

Grubi and Bajrami are not in the country, so there is no possibility of a trial against them.

Some of the names involved in this investigation are also related to the affairs in the State Lottery, which REL has written about. One of them is Jahoski, who is the son of the former mayor of Pllasnica and current MP Ismail Jahoski from the European Front coalition led by the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI).

Jahoski became the owner of the company "Hej DOOEL", which concluded a disputed contract for the lease of business premises with the State Lottery in Vizbegovo, Skopje, worth 2.6 million euros. The Prosecutor's Office and the Financial Police opened an investigation after the research published by REL.

Meanwhile, for other embezzlements in the State Lottery, the Basic Public Prosecutor's Office in Skopje at the end of 2024 opened an investigation that also included former First Deputy Prime Minister Artan Grubi from DUI, who was also placed on the US blacklist.

The case is related to the organization of electronic games of chance, namely the purchase of VLT terminals, while the damage to the State Lottery budget was estimated by the prosecution at 8 million euros.

Former general director Përparim Bajrami is also a suspect, who, together with Grubi, is on the run and an international arrest warrant has been issued for them.

Less than a month before resigning from his position as state prosecutor, Ljupco Kocevski, on the "360 Degrees" show on November 24, stated that the investigation in which Grubi is suspected has been completed and that only his extradition is awaited.

However, there is no official information yet that the former First Deputy Prime Minister has been located or that his extradition has been officially requested by any country. His absence is also an obstacle to the trial.

"The investigation has been initiated for a criminal offense for which a prison sentence of over 5 years is foreseen and, accordingly, there is no legal possibility for a trial in absentia," the Skopje Police Department emphasized to REL.

The crime that Grubi and Bajrami are suspected of, as stated in the arrest warrant, is embezzlement in service, while four other people are also being prosecuted for misuse of official position and authorizations.

Awaiting the decision on the indictment of the former director of SOZR
Another completed investigation, related to abuses by senior officials, is the one regarding the Service for General and Common Affairs at the Government, where the suspect is former director Pece Mircevski.

"The investigation has been completed and the legal deadlines for the defense to review the evidence are running out," the Skopje Prosecutor's Office told REL.

This means that there may soon be a decision to file an indictment against him.

Mirchevski, as announced when the investigation was opened in February, is suspected of continuing criminal offenses: bribery and embezzlement in office. In addition to him, another person has also been implicated for the offense of bribery.

The prosecution is pursuing Mirchevski because, among other things, he did not declare a conflict of interest and was not excluded from five public procurements won by the second suspect's company, even though he "realized direct material benefit for himself and his wife."

Among these benefits, the prosecution alleges that Mircevski used a Volkswagen Passat vehicle from the company that won the tenders, while his wife used transportation services with vehicles and drivers.

The former director of SOZR is also being prosecuted for embezzlement related to trips he made while posing as an official, for which he signed hotel reservations, plane tickets, and travel orders abroad.

The Basic Public Prosecution Office Skopje and the Basic Public Prosecution Office for the Prosecution of Organized Crime and Corruption will take these cases to the judicial epilogue during the mandate of the new state prosecutor.

Kocevski resigned on December 16, the day the Parliament was due to begin a debate on his dismissal at the Government's proposal. Upon his departure, Kocevski accused the government of political decision and expressed disappointment, saying that it was a "clear disregard for the principles on which the rule of law is based."

Government representatives, including Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, constantly criticized him for the lack of results in his work.

Until the deputies elect a new state prosecutor, who according to legal provisions is proposed by the Government with a positive opinion from the Council of Public Prosecutors, an acting one was appointed to this position on December 22.

At the session, members of the Council of Public Prosecutors appointed Anita Topolova-Isajlovska as acting state prosecutor.

An attempt to elect an acting president was also made on December 18, but was unsuccessful due to the absence of a Council member.

The acting state prosecutor cannot remain at the head of the Public Prosecution Service for longer than six months./REL