Sara-Javor Engineering DOO from Strumica, owned by Vice Zaev, the brother of the former Prime Minister and SDSM leader Zoran Zaev, is listed among debtors for unpaid value-added tax (VAT) and profit tax, as revealed in today’s publication by the IRS.

The company owes the state 5,884,888 denars for unpaid VAT and an additional 2,180,693 denars for unpaid profit tax, according to the IRS Debtors List. In 2013, when Sara-Javor Engineering faced public criticism for receiving million tenders from the municipality of Strumica, SDSM responded by stating:

“In July 2013, Mr. Vice Zaev, the brother of President Zoran Zaev, became a co-owner in Sara Engineering. Therefore, we are discussing a tender awarded two years ago when it was publicly known that there were no connections between the company and the Zaev family,” SDSM stated at the time.

This is not the first instance where companies owned by Vice Zaev owe millions in taxes to the state. Two years ago, VMRO DPMNE publicly disclosed that companies belonging to Zoran Zaev’s brother had over one million euros in unpaid taxes.

Regarding the publication by the Public Revenue Administration today, the list of debtors encompasses debts until November 30, 2023, and those unpaid until February 29 of this year, based on VAT, profit tax, personal income tax, contributions from mandatory social security, excise taxes, and customs.

List No. 03/2024 includes 1,801 legal entities (71 fewer than the previous list) and 3,606 natural persons (21 fewer than the previous list).