The Anti-Corrruption Commission DKSK voted 4:2 today to propose thatthe Government reviews the actions of Deputy Prime Minister Koco Angusev.

According to a report, Angusev used his influence in the Government to influence the decision to to abolish import duties on lithium ion battery components. Angusev has vast energy interests in Macedonia and has frequently been reported in the press as favoring his own companies in the work of the Government.

Lithium ion components were subject to a 15 percent import tax, which has since been reduced to 0. Angusev’s company Brako is the only producer of car batteries in Macedonia that such components and stands to gain considerably as the import duties were abolished.

Brako proposed to the Government to abolish the duty and Angusev announced he will not participate in the Government session when this decision was reviewed. The proposal was eventually withdrawn. A month later, the Macedonian Embassy in Poland submitted a similar proposal from a Polish company who was allegedly in contact with Angusev. This time, Angusev did not recuse himself, but in fact actively participated in the Government session, giving proposals on how to overcome the differences between the Finance and Economy Ministry regarding the proposal. This request was accepted by the Government, said DKSK President Biljana Ivanovska, announcing that the Anti-Corruption Committee proposes that the Government examines Angusev’s actions.

Angusev announced that he is withdrawing from politics after the elections scheduled for April 2020, citing the sharp drop in profits in his companies.

Zaev will ask the chambers of commerce to nominate a replacement for Angusev, who is leaving after his profits allegedly nosedived