US Ambassador: There are some in government and judiciary earnestly fighting against corruption
Skopje, 16 December 2025 (MIA) — There are people within the government and within the judiciary who are committed to the fight against corruption though they sometimes are the voices in the wilderness, US Ambassador Angela Aggeler told Sitel TV in an interview Tuesday evening.
"What I hope happens is that more gather around them, because it's the right thing to do. There are some things that are simply that. They're the right things to do," she said.
Commenting on the Kochani trial, Aggeler said "this is a case where there are those who are very committed to doing right by these families, these victims, this community, but it has to be a pretty concerted team effort to get there, and I truly, truly hope that more people come together to make sure that happens."
Asked whether she thought there was any progress in the country's fight against corruption, the US ambassador said that as an American, she was an optimist but she had also noticed over the past several months, and since the Kochani tragedy in particular, "a level of awareness and also a level of recognition that was not there before."
"Now, that is balanced by also a level of fatigue, because as I travel around the country and talk to students, talk to parents, talk to mayors and those who are living their daily lives, sometimes you hear a real resignation: 'This is just what it is and nothing will change,'" the ambassador said.
She added that things had changed in recent months partly due to some young leaders running in the municipal elections who had spoken up, saying they would do things differently.
"Which I think is really interesting and really hopeful," Aggeler said.
"Demanding of your elected officials accountability is an incredibly powerful thing. I hope more people do that. Whether you're talking about your local council, whether you're talking about not just elected officials, whether you're talking about teachers, whether you're talking about doctors — holding people to account. You're being paid to do a certain thing, do your job," she said. mr/
