SDSM: Bitola school director and deputy gambled in Monte Carlo casino during student trip
SDSM says it holds photos and videos and asks Education Minister Vesna Janevska to order an inquiry and disciplinary action.
The Social Democratic Union (SDSM) announced allegations that the director of the Regional Center for Vocational Education and Training "Gjorgji Naumov" in Bitola, Zhaneta Servini, and the assistant director, Ljupcho Zdravkovski, were gambling on slot machines inside a casino in Monte Carlo while pupils from the school were on an excursion.
Party says it has photos and unblurred footage
At a press briefing, Jovanche Manaskov, chair of SDSM's Committee on Education and Science, said the party holds both photographs and videos from the incident, which were reportedly provided by whistleblowers. He added that minors were left waiting in the hotel or lobby while the two school officials were inside the casino.
Manaskov told reporters: "Children from a school taken to a casino in Monte Carlo! For the director and deputy director to be gambling. Yes, you heard me correctly. We have videos and photographs. One of the videos we will publish is blurred because it contains minors. But whistleblowers provided us and we also have the original. Shame! Casino-education by Janevska and VMRO-DPMNE."
He urged Education Minister Vesna Janevska to immediately order an inspection and to open a disciplinary procedure to determine responsibility and to dismiss those involved.
Manaskov added: "Instead of caring for students' safety and education and setting an example for young people, school management figures gamble in a casino. And they take the children into a casino. What kind of education have the school's leading people given — how to spin slot machines? What are children being taught by VMRO-OKG and their cadres? To gamble. This is an immoral case and therefore we demand responsibility from first to last."
SDSM provided two photographs it says were taken during the student trip to Monte Carlo. The party says it will release additional footage; the allegations have not been independently verified and the accused school officials and the Ministry of Education had not issued a public response at the time of the announcement.
Photo: SDSM
