The Anti-Corruption Commission (DKSK), which is investigating the scandalous procurement of coronavirus vaccines from the Sinopharm company, has received confirmation from the Macedonian Central Bank that an advance payment has been made. This, as reported by PressingTV, proves that the contract was going ahead before the Chinese company backed out of it, because the Macedonian Healthcare Minister Venko Filipce tried to use a suspicious shell company to procure the vaccines.

Stabri, a shell company registered in American Samoa, was used for the deal to purchase 200,000 badly needed vaccines which could’ve helped cushion the impact of the on-going major spike in the epidemic. The Ministry was negotiating with Sinopharm but at one point tried to route the deal through Stabri, after which the Chinese manufacturer withdrew from the whole thing, causing a significant delay in the start of vaccinations in Macedonia.

PressingTV reports that the Government has not made available its contracts signed with Stabri to the Anti-Corruption Commission, so that the scandal could be fully investigated. But the Central Bank confirmed that the advance payment was made and then returned by the Chinese. DKSK continues to insist that the Government submits its contracts with Stabri for investigation, even though the deal eventually did not go ahead.

The shipment, which was expected by the end of February, will eventually arrive on Friday – a delay of two months caused by the apparent attempt by Ministry officials to receive a cut of the sale through the use of a suspicious private company.