Commission opens file over conflict of interest in 35th independence celebration

The Commission for Prevention of Corruption has opened a file to examine a possible conflict of interest linked to the state’s 35th‑anniversary independence celebration, and is monitoring how the event was financed while urging other institutions to act if they find irregularities.

Commission president Adem Chuculj said the body acted both on a whistleblower tip and on its own initiative to open the case concerning a member of the committee that selected the celebration programme.

"The Commission, within its legal powers and as a preventive body, is monitoring the case. We do not have a concrete criminal case opened; we have opened only a file in the part related to the conflict of interest of one of the persons who was mentioned as a member of the Commission and who participated as a performer," Chuculj said.

The individual under scrutiny is Nikolche Micevski, who chaired the evaluation commission and is later listed as the author of the orchestrations used for José Carreras’s appearance in the programme.

Calls for investigations and political reactions

Chuculj added that the Commission is following public reaction and demands for transparency in the spending of public money, and encouraged investigative bodies to open proceedings if they determine there were illegalities.

"We are reviewing the case, we are following the reports and the reactions in the public. We believe that other competent bodies, primarily investigative bodies, are following the case and if they assess that certain illegalities exist they will open proceedings within their competencies," he said.

The opposition SDSM demanded that the Public Prosecutor's Office immediately open an investigation, secure all documentation and trace the flow of funds and decision‑making around the celebration, SDSM member Keti Šterjova said.

VMRO‑DPMNE responded with counteraccusations, alleging that SDSM and DUI are shielded by "their" judges and prosecutors. "For years we have seen how a small group of corrupt judges and prosecutors worked under the principle that the law applies immediately for some, and for people of SDSM and DUI the case ends differently," said Valentin Manasievski of VMRO‑DPMNE.

According to the government, the celebration cost €5.5 million from the State Lottery and an additional €650,000 from socially responsible companies. Last week officials spent more than an hour and a half arguing that the money was not 'public' despite coming from a state company; detailed breakdowns of how much each performer was paid are not available.

Photo: press material from the event