Searches at Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Bitola as Corruption Probe Targets Prosecutor

Authorities have opened a corruption investigation targeting a higher public prosecutor in Bitola and carried out searches at the prosecutor's home and at their office, law enforcement sources said.

The Ministry of Interior, acting in coordination with the Basic Public Prosecutor's Office for Prosecution of Organized Crime and Corruption, confirmed that police are conducting searches of a private residence and official premises in the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Bitola due to suspected corrupt acts, the ministry said.

The Public Prosecutor's Office said investigative actions are ongoing and that it expects to provide more information tomorrow. The probe concerns the offense described as "Receiving a reward for unlawful influence."

Court orders and legal basis

"A public prosecutor from the Basic Public Prosecutor's Office for Prosecution of Organized Crime and Corruption secured court orders for searches of the home and official premises of a higher public prosecutor in the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office Bitola, due to the existence of grounds to suspect that he committed the criminal offence – Receiving a reward for unlawful influence under Article 359, paragraph 3 in connection with paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code. The searches based on the obtained orders are being carried out by members of the Ministry of Interior. More details will follow after the actions are completed tomorrow," the Public Prosecutor's Office stated.

Officials have not confirmed whether the operation also extended to Prilep, where one of the only two prosecutors who are part of the higher Bitola office lives.

Under the law, prosecutors do not enjoy criminal-immunity protections equivalent to judges and members of parliament; consequently the Council of Public Prosecutors does not decide whether they can be detained during investigations.

Photo: press material from the event