Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08SKOPJE86
2008-02-01 10:16:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Skopje
Cable title:
MACEDONIA: MAJOR CORRUPTION PROSECUTIONS UPDATE
how-toVZCZCXRO7057 RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHSQ #0086 0321016 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 011016Z FEB 08 FM AMEMBASSY SKOPJE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6986 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE 0181 RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 3747 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC RUESEN/SKOPJE BETA
UNCLAS SKOPJE 000086
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KKOR KCRM KJUS PGOV MK
SUBJECT: MACEDONIA: MAJOR CORRUPTION PROSECUTIONS UPDATE
REF: A. 07 SKOPJE 492
B. 07 SKOPJE 615
Summary
-------
UNCLAS SKOPJE 000086
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KKOR KCRM KJUS PGOV MK
SUBJECT: MACEDONIA: MAJOR CORRUPTION PROSECUTIONS UPDATE
REF: A. 07 SKOPJE 492
B. 07 SKOPJE 615
Summary
--------------
1. (SBU) The GOM's anti-corruption efforts are steadily progressing
(reftels),including the on-going "big fish" trials of a prominent
Macedonian businessman and a former National Bank Governor. The
government's corruption-fighting record shows it is willing to
investigate and prosecute at least some prominent personalities and
officials formerly connected to parties now in power. End summary.
Trial Of Businessman, Former National Bank Governor
-------------- --------------
2. (U) The GOM has demonstrated since it took power in August 2006
that it is willing to prosecute on corruption charges officials and
businessmen who once were associated with the ruling VMRO-DPMNE
party, including a former customs director and former executives of
a state-owned company (ref A). In July 2007, a Macedonian court
also convicted on embezzlement and forgery charges prominent
Macedonian business executive Metodija Smilenski, once a close
associate of Ljubco Georgievski, the former VMRO-DPMNE Prime
Minister (1998-2002).
3. (U) In November 2007, an appellate court upheld Smilenski's
conviction on the more serious counts of embezzlement, while
ordering a retrial on the forgery charge. The appellate court
reduced Smilenski's prison sentence slightly, from four years to 3.5
years, but confirmed a fine levied against him of two million euros.
Smilenski remains in prison pending his retrial on the forgery
charge.
4. (U) A separate trial on corruption charges against Smilenski,
along with his co-defendant and former National Bank Governor Ljube
Trpeski (ref B),is ongoing, with the prosecutor hopeful that the
trial will conclude this March. Smilenski, who in addition to his
private business pursuits once served as director of Macedonia's
Export Import (Ex-Im) Bank, and Trpeski are alleged to have colluded
in engineering a fraudulent 30 million euro loan from the National
Bank to the Ex-Im Bank in 2002. The money was never repaid, and
prosecutors say it ended up in various accounts controlled by
Smilenski.
5. (U) Due to the financial complexity of the case, the presiding
judge recently asked outside financial experts to clarify certain
legal and technical issues surrounding the transaction. The
experts' findings will be presented at the next session of the
trial, scheduled for February 4. Trpeski, who has family ties to
Deputy Prime Minister Zoran Stavreski, has claims to have
documentation showing that his approval of the loan was fully
transparent and legal.
Operation "Snake Eye" Nets Toll Collectors
--------------
6. (U) Macedonians have long believed the road toll collection
system is corrupt, with toll collectors often pocketing customer
payments and sharing them with supervisors. Starting in November,
the police operation "Snake Eye" began targeting toll collectors,
resulting in the arrests of 80 employees of the Public Enterprise
for National Roads, including six managers. The corrupt toll
collection ring is estimated to have cost the government $18 million
annually in lost revenues. Although the police have not netted any
"big fish" in the operation, the investigation is ongoing and the
police continue to arrest suspects. To date, however, no "Snake
Eye" defendant has gone to court.
Comment
--------------
7. (SBU) The government has shown in the Smilenski and Trpeski cases
that it has the political will to investigate and prosecute
prominent figures with close ties - past and present - to
VMRO-DPMNE. The GOM's handling of other corruption cases (ref b)
also shows a willingness to prosecute officials who had ties to the
governing party in the past. The "Snake Eye" arrests demonstrate
the GOM's willingness to go after a lucrative corruption ring that
until recently operated freely, although the question still remains
whether the government will prosecute top officials in the current
government if they are found to have been involved in those corrupt
activities. End comment.
Milovanovic
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KKOR KCRM KJUS PGOV MK
SUBJECT: MACEDONIA: MAJOR CORRUPTION PROSECUTIONS UPDATE
REF: A. 07 SKOPJE 492
B. 07 SKOPJE 615
Summary
--------------
1. (SBU) The GOM's anti-corruption efforts are steadily progressing
(reftels),including the on-going "big fish" trials of a prominent
Macedonian businessman and a former National Bank Governor. The
government's corruption-fighting record shows it is willing to
investigate and prosecute at least some prominent personalities and
officials formerly connected to parties now in power. End summary.
Trial Of Businessman, Former National Bank Governor
-------------- --------------
2. (U) The GOM has demonstrated since it took power in August 2006
that it is willing to prosecute on corruption charges officials and
businessmen who once were associated with the ruling VMRO-DPMNE
party, including a former customs director and former executives of
a state-owned company (ref A). In July 2007, a Macedonian court
also convicted on embezzlement and forgery charges prominent
Macedonian business executive Metodija Smilenski, once a close
associate of Ljubco Georgievski, the former VMRO-DPMNE Prime
Minister (1998-2002).
3. (U) In November 2007, an appellate court upheld Smilenski's
conviction on the more serious counts of embezzlement, while
ordering a retrial on the forgery charge. The appellate court
reduced Smilenski's prison sentence slightly, from four years to 3.5
years, but confirmed a fine levied against him of two million euros.
Smilenski remains in prison pending his retrial on the forgery
charge.
4. (U) A separate trial on corruption charges against Smilenski,
along with his co-defendant and former National Bank Governor Ljube
Trpeski (ref B),is ongoing, with the prosecutor hopeful that the
trial will conclude this March. Smilenski, who in addition to his
private business pursuits once served as director of Macedonia's
Export Import (Ex-Im) Bank, and Trpeski are alleged to have colluded
in engineering a fraudulent 30 million euro loan from the National
Bank to the Ex-Im Bank in 2002. The money was never repaid, and
prosecutors say it ended up in various accounts controlled by
Smilenski.
5. (U) Due to the financial complexity of the case, the presiding
judge recently asked outside financial experts to clarify certain
legal and technical issues surrounding the transaction. The
experts' findings will be presented at the next session of the
trial, scheduled for February 4. Trpeski, who has family ties to
Deputy Prime Minister Zoran Stavreski, has claims to have
documentation showing that his approval of the loan was fully
transparent and legal.
Operation "Snake Eye" Nets Toll Collectors
--------------
6. (U) Macedonians have long believed the road toll collection
system is corrupt, with toll collectors often pocketing customer
payments and sharing them with supervisors. Starting in November,
the police operation "Snake Eye" began targeting toll collectors,
resulting in the arrests of 80 employees of the Public Enterprise
for National Roads, including six managers. The corrupt toll
collection ring is estimated to have cost the government $18 million
annually in lost revenues. Although the police have not netted any
"big fish" in the operation, the investigation is ongoing and the
police continue to arrest suspects. To date, however, no "Snake
Eye" defendant has gone to court.
Comment
--------------
7. (SBU) The government has shown in the Smilenski and Trpeski cases
that it has the political will to investigate and prosecute
prominent figures with close ties - past and present - to
VMRO-DPMNE. The GOM's handling of other corruption cases (ref b)
also shows a willingness to prosecute officials who had ties to the
governing party in the past. The "Snake Eye" arrests demonstrate
the GOM's willingness to go after a lucrative corruption ring that
until recently operated freely, although the question still remains
whether the government will prosecute top officials in the current
government if they are found to have been involved in those corrupt
activities. End comment.
Milovanovic