Macedonia Sacks Official on EU Fraud Suspicion

The move was made for ethical reasons, Forum news portal said.

This follows media reports that Nelkoski allegedly inappropriately allocated funds the agency received from the EU education program to NGOs close to him and his relatives.

The government also dismissed the executive committee of the agency, whose members were also mentioned as involved in the scandal, media report.

Brussels has already frozen its funds designated for this sector. Some €260,000 of those funds were cited as having been suspiciously allocated.

Previously, Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski said that the government would probe the agency’s work and if financial violations were found Nelkoski would respond before the courts.

Nelovski denied any misdeeds on his part, claiming that the work of the agency was clear.

Neloski is also member of the executive committee of the youth organization of the main ruling centre-right VMRO-DPMNE party.

If the allegations against him and other officials prove to be true, the country could not only lose credibility but could also be asked to return the money.