The Economic Crime department within the Internal Affairs department in Stip took Thursday measures and activities for clearing the criminal act “Bribery during elections and voting” and the basic public prosecutor’s office was notified and requested directions for taking of additional measures and actions in order to fully document and prove the criminal-legal event, the Minister of Interior Nake Culev informed Friday.

According to the Minister, a man from Stip had in his possession passports and ID cards of several persons of Roma nationality who were kept as a pledge for debts made in his grocery store, and which would allegedly be settled if they voted for the political party SDSM on election day.

4 notebooks in A4 format with a list of names, 69 biometric ID cards, 18 biometric passports, 18 old passports, 6 old ID cards, 1 residence permit, and 1 health card were found during the police search of the grocery store and there a reasonable suspicion that it is voter bribery, Culev said.

Culev added that the Interior Ministry will continue to take all measures and activities to prevent voter bribery and influencing voters.