Former secret police chief Sasho Mijalkov is now under house arrest at this home. He hasn’t left the country the past days, and was in Skopje the whole time. If he hadn’t reported himself to the authorities, the situation would have been completely different, Minister of Interior Oliver Spasovski said Wednesday, pointing out he had no personal contact with Mijalkov before his return.
According to Spasovski, if investigation reveals anyone to be held responsible, not moral but criminal responsibility will come into play.
Spasovski told told Slobodna TV’s “Morning Briefing” show on Wednesday that an investigation is underway in the Public Prosecutor’s Office and a public prosecutor has been appointed.
Until Tuesday, he added, the Ministry of Interior worked with the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Skopje, with the prosecutors on duty as regards quizzing people who might have been involved in facilitating escape, whether family members or those close, i.e. members of his security. The important thing was, he noted, to seize all phones, digital devices and documents that could be part of the investigation during the search of his residence.
Spasovski claims that no one is negotiating, or has negotiated on anything with Mijalkov for him to report himself to the authorities, adding that the verdict due on Friday is the court’s job and it will remove all possible dilemmas.
“This has been a nerve-wracking situation for everyone. It’s no surprise that each of us would be upset and angry, because all efforts as a Government – all reforms, the fifth stimulus package, action taken to improve situation in other segments, go to no avail when such an event takes place and the citizens really expect serious responsibility from us. This event and any such event would certainly undermine the integrity of the Government in the public,” Spasovski said.
Asked about the way in which it has been determined that Mijalkov was on the run, Minister Spasovski said that in relation to the ‘Target-Fortress’ case, the only measure issued was seizure of the passport and an obligation to report to the court once a month, as precaution order by the court. The MoI, he pointed out, couldn’t take any action, and didn’t have a measure in place to take any action in terms of following Sasho Mijalkov.
“The moment we have information on a possible escape, our police powers are put in place and as part of such powers, covert police action can be taken. This doesn’t mean following anyone. It’s not an effective method, but the law allows it,” Minister Spasovski said.
