News site Svedok.mk reports that state prosecutors have shelved an investigation into prosecutors from the disgraced Special Prosecutor’s Office. The case that was being investigated was aimed at then chief Special Prosecutor Katica Janeva, who in 2021 unlawfully paid 4.6 million EUR in bonuses to her staff and assistants.

The SPO office was set up under international pressure and was used to pressure Nikola Gruevski’s Government until his VMRO-DPMNE party was removed from power and SDSM installed in their place. Subsequent investigations in Janeva’s actions revealed that she grossly abused her office and extorted businessmen. She is now serving out a 7 years prison sentence.

Prosecutor Islam Abazi, who was appointed as new Special Prosecutor despite his close ties to the DUI party, was supposed to investigate Janeva and prepare charges, but Svedok, and also Kanal5 TV, report that the investigation has been stopped. Individual prosecutors or assistants in the SPO received between 70 and 100 thousand EUR in bonuses.

There was no discrepancy between the available and planned funds and what was spent, said Abazi’s office in response to media questions why they stopped the investigation.

Svedok reports that Abazi stopped prosecutor Natasa Pop Trajkova from working on this case, despite the significant sums that were paid and the clear abuse of Janeva’s position. Abazi’s office did not respond to the questions about the alleged pressure on prosecutor Pop Trajkova. The Council of Public Prosecutors, which is supposed to oversee the work of state prosecutors, did not respond to media questions.