Mickoski: Over 4,500 fake recipients found on social assistance rolls
Mickoski says audits identified deceased, emigrated and fictitious beneficiaries and reduced this month’s payouts by about 200 million denars.
Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski announced that government checks have uncovered more than 4,500 people who should not have been receiving guaranteed minimum assistance and social security payments.
Results of the audits
According to Mickoski, field verifications and analysis carried out so far identified beneficiaries who were deceased, people who had emigrated and cases of fictitious recipients. He said the findings amount to a significant correction in this month’s payout roll.
“So far we have more than 4,500, meaning not 45, not 450, but 4,500 fake beneficiaries of guaranteed minimum assistance and social security,” Mickoski said.
The prime minister added that, after the checks, the amount earmarked for payments this month is roughly 200 million denars lower than in the same month last year.
“How is that possible? It is possible because the beneficiaries were, unfortunately, deceased people, emigrated people, fake people and so on,” Mickoski said.
Mickoski presented the figures as the result of ongoing reviews of the social support system; he did not give details about recovery procedures or potential prosecutions. Government officials say the checks will continue while administrative measures are considered to prevent further erroneous payments.
Photo: press material from the event
