Skopje: Top Anti-Crime Official Steps Down

Cvetanov, who had held the post for four years, wrote on Tueaday in his public resignation letter that during the last year, ever since he uncovered incriminating evidence against “powerful structures”, he has been completely ignored by Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski and his entire government.

“The problems started when in the summer of 2009, we submitted a large pile of cases involving powerful structures, groups and interests,” Cvetanov wrote, not disclosing any further details about the cases because of their sensitive nature.

He further claimed he was subsequently denied requests to meet with the PM, adding that he was under pressure not to go public with his claims and promised another post if he resigned quietly.

“I apologize to all whom I convinced to give their vote to you,” Cvetanov wrote to the PM.

The harsh rhetoric that Cvetanov used against the government shocked the public, as the main ruling centre-right VMRO DPMNE party of PM Gruevski has generally been able to make personnel replacements without letting the reasons behind the changes hit the headlines.

The government later the same day held a session, after which it announced that Cvetanov was being dismissed, and was not resigning. The cause, the government said, was not because Cvetanov planned to leave but because of suspicion he committed crimes when hiring people in his department, which it said was previously noted by the state Anti-Corruption Commission.

The Commission last month asked for Cvetanov’s dismissal after reviewing the report of the state review. The Commission suspected he was involved in unlawful spending of public budget funds to secure 29 new jobs in 2008 without the prior consent of the Finance Ministry. He was also suspected to be in breach of public procurement law.

Cvetanov said this was part of the political pressure against him.

“The Government of Macedonia reassures all the citizens - regardless of their political, ethnic or any other affiliation – that it will fully comply with the rule of law, and it will fight against any breach of law including organised crime and corruption,” the government said in a statement following yesterday’s session.

It appointed Vladimir Atanasov as acting head of the Agency.