North Macedonia’s police have arrested 21 people in a major corruption operation targeting former managers of the country’s power plants.
The arrests come after an investigation by the Organized Crime Prosecution, which revealed that the suspects are accused of money laundering and fraud linked to the manipulation of public supply tenders—especially for fuel contracts.
Among those arrested is Vasko Stefanov, former director of the Electricity Plants of North Macedonia (ESM). Authorities are still hunting for Vasko Kovachevski, another former ESM chief.
During the operation, investigators found €130,000 in cash and a trove of documents.
Notable arrests include Nebojsha Stojanovi?, ex-director of the Negotino power plant, and Pece Matevski, formerly with the Bitola plant. Police raids have been conducted in Skopje, Bitola, Negotino, Veles, and Ki?evo.
The arrests come at a time of heightened scrutiny over the management of public funds in North Macedonia’s state-owned energy sector, which has long been plagued by allegations of mismanagement and corruption.
