Skopje, 31 December 2024 (MIA) - Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski voiced Tuesday satisfaction from the fight against corruption while adding that the final results depend on the judiciary. Regarding the escape of former deputy prime minister Artan Grubi and ex-director of Power Plants of North Macedonia (ESM) Vasko Kovachevski, the PM sees no oversight in the actions by institutions and believes they will face justice.

"The executive can investigate the high-profile corruption cases, in which there are grounds for suspicion, and if evidence is secured, the file is handed over to the prosecutor. This is the law. We cannot be both the executive and the judiciary. From that moment on, the prosecutor's office is the one that assesses if the evidence is sufficient to initiate a process through an indictment," PM Mickoski told a press conference.

He added that the Government would continue to invest efforts in the fight against corruption in 2025.

"We will continue to do what we have been doing in the outgoing year. Big names, high-profile politicians who are investigated," said Mickoski.

On the escapes of Grubi and Kovachevski, the PM sees no oversights in institutions and believes they will face justice.

"There is no oversight because it is a matter of time these fugitives of justice will return and be held accountable, because a fugitive's life is not a simple one, even in a different continent", said Mickoski.

The PM based his optimism on the premise that "the wheels of justice turn slowly, but grind exceedingly fine" and added that he would comment on the prosecutors' work only if he sees they are calculating with their moves.

MIA file photo