As reported yesterday by “Meta” (part 1 of the journalistic investigation into the “Transporter” case, which you can read here). The Special Public Prosecution has new evidence in the “Transporter” case regarding the transportation facilities in which the prime suspect is the Mayor of Bitola Vladimir Taleski, stated the Special Prosecution for “Meta”. According to the information we came across, the SPO has submitted thirty new requests for the inspection of documentation in schools in Bitola, the Ministry of Finance, and the suspected carriers.
What is even stranger is the fact that the five companies which were used for the transportation of passengers – “Hera-Tours”, “Hera Prevoz Novka”, “D and A Hera trans”, “Hera Prevoz” and “Hera trans S and J”, which transports passengers in the Municipality of Bitola (students and urban transport) are all registered at the same address Mai 6.6. Three of these companies ( “Hera-Tours”, “D and A Hera trans”, “Hera Prevoz Novka”) are suspected in the “Transporter”case for abuse of office and authority.
Individually, however, all companies operating the transportation of passengers in Bitola also provides services in other municipalities, for government institutions and ministries.
The company “Transkop” carries passengers to the Municipalities of Resen, Krusevo and Demir Hisar.
“Luka Express” has an agreement from the 12th of August 2015 (a few months after criminal charges were brought by the SDSM in the case with the Municipality of Bitola) after they won the tender for transport for the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Macedonian Army (ARM).
“Bobi-Tours” transports students to Resen to the school “Tsar Samuel”.
When asked if the company again won a tender for a new line for passenger transport in Bitola, Aleksander Stojcevski from “Luka Express” replied:
– “Luke Express” competed in the 2015 tender for municipal bus lines and all possible lines, but only received two , and that was Line 4 and Line 9. The agreement for those lines is for five years, which will be finished in 2020.
Stojcevski claims that the allegations by the SPO of abuse against the company concerning the transport of students with the Municipality of Bitola are nonsense and completely made-up.
“After the investigation, “Luka Express” intends to take appropriate action against the people involved in the private firm and involved in these political calculations”, said Stojcevski for “Meta”.
Some companies such as “Marija Trans” and ” Gopesh Trans” are only suspected for damage, and not for abuse of office, making their charges milder.
Meanwhile, two of the companies – “Jimi Tours” and “Hera Tours”, are owned by two brothers, Jimi and Sasho Micevski.
Written by:
Vlado Gjorchev
This research was made possible by support from the American people through the US Agency for International Development (USAID) within the USAID program for Anticorruption. The contents of this publication are the responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the government of the United States.
