Skopje, 8 July 2023 (MIA) - Unfortunately, our "investment" in the progress of the judiciary did not give the expected "response", the US Ambassador to North Macedonia, Angela Aggeler, said in an interview with the Kapital newspaper.

“With respect to progress in the judiciary, we are disappointed. Over the past thirty years, we have invested half a billion dollars in rule of law and good governance programs, but we are not seeing the improvements and reforms that we might expect with such a large investment. However, at the end of the day, systemic corruption throughout the country in all sectors harms the people of North Macedonia more directly than us. You all deserve a society, a judiciary, a government whose actions are transparent and serve you - the citizens. It is a cornerstone of a fair and functional democracy. The government should focus on that, regardless of which party is in power. The judiciary must be an independent, fully funded and non-political branch of authority,” Aggeler said.

Regarding the opposition's claims of corruption in regard to Corridors VIII and Xd, the US Ambassador said, "if there are corruption allegations in regard to Corridors VIII and Xd, investigate them!" If you find a crime, prosecute it!”
“If the investigation discovers corruption, then it should prosecute it. There must be accountability for everyone, everywhere. At the same time, excessive politicization can sometimes be as harmful as corruption itself by preventing good projects from moving forward and sending a message to other potential investors that doing business in North Macedonia is too complicated and bureaucratic,” Aggeler noted.

The project of Corridors VIII and Xd, the US Ambassador pointed out, represents the largest infrastructure investment in the history of this country, and the benefits for citizens are huge: numerous good jobs, contracts with local companies and suppliers as well as a partnership with one of the most respected American companies operating in the Balkans and worldwide. When completed, the roads will reduce travel times across the country, improve security and accessibility to other NATO partners, increase trade and make the country a vital transport hub across the Balkans.

In the interview, US Ambassador Aggeler talked about the need for energy efficiency and security, which she said are critical issues around the world, and Russia's brutal and illegal invasion of Ukraine has highlighted that need even more. In the short term, she noted, “I hope that the country will make every effort to secure natural gas that does not come from Gazprom and to complete the interconnector with Greece.”

“It should be a non-partisan priority and receive full consent from the Parliament. But having a stable and reliable gas source should not be the only end goal. We all need to work to expand and improve alternative energy markets. This is an area requiring immediate attention. I encourage officials to adopt coordinated, strategic decisions on energy investments and to work to move North Macedonia away from its dependence on coal. Projects like Chebren HPP are of key importance to balancing the grid and reducing dependence on fossil fuels,” US Ambassador Angela Aggeler said in an interview with the Kapital newspaper.

Photo: Kapital