Katica Janeva to be questioned today by Prosecutor Ruskovska


Фото: Б. Грданоски

Chief Special Public Prosecutor Katica Janeva on Tuesday will be questioned by Vilma Ruskovska, the prosecutor tasked with investigating the case.

Janeva’s testimony is expected to clarify several issues puzzling the public after the Racket case was opened in July. As the scandal broke out, two suspected extortionists Bojan Jovanovski and Zoran Mileski were put in detention.

Janeva was widely criticized for being on vacation in the midst of the unfolding of the Racket case. She returned to work last week.

“As a result of the confidentiality of the proceedings, the public prosecution will not announce in advance what actions are going to be taken. Opening the investigation, the public prosecution has prepared a plan on the course of the proceedings,” Joveski told MIA after the Italian newspaper La Verità on its online edition released a video showing the two suspects taking out a bag of money given to them by the businessman Jordan Kamchev.

The newspaper also released an audio recording in which Jovanovski and Kamchev can be heard discussing a proceeding led by the Special Public Prosecution (SPO) and mentioning its chief prosecutor Katica Janeva.

Confirming that her voice could be heard in the recording, Janeva said in a statement she had been talking with suspects through mediators to convince them to serve as witnesses in some cases. She confirmed she had talked with Kamchev.

On Monday, Zoran Mileski-Kicheec, charged in the Racket case with “accepting a reward for illegal influence,” was brought in from detention to be questioned by prosecutors.

Mileski-Kicheec and Bojan Jovanovski are the only suspects so far in the Racket case, and they are both in detention at the Shutka prison. Jovanovski is also charged with money laundering.

In the meantime, the working groups of the ruling coalition and the opposition are expected to continue their talks on the law on the public prosecution, which also regulates the future status of the SPO.

Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi has scheduled a session on the bill on Aug. 27 after the summer recess. It requires as two-third majority in order to be enacted.

In the wake of the Racket scandal, the international community have been urging North Macedonia’s authorities to demonstrate in practice adherence to rule of law. The public prosecution law by the EU is seen as a crucial factor before reaching a decision on the start of negotiations in October.