INTERIOR MINISTRY CLEANING OUT POLICE RANKS

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06728911
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: May 8, 2018
• Case Number: F-2017-00089
• Publication Date: May 26, 2004

Approved for Release: 2018/04/20 C06728911
Qa-vrvii_
Balkan Update
26 May 2004
This report was prepared by the Office of Russian and European Analysis (OREA). Analysis is
indicated in bold italics. Comments and queries are welcome
CL BY:
CL REASON: 1.4(c)
DECL ON: 20290526
DRV FROM: Multiple Sources
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Interior Ministry Cleaning Out Police Ranks
Prime Minister designate and current Interior
Minister Hari Kostov is overseeing an unprecedented
culling of the ranks of police officers and station
commanders suspected of malfeasance and
corruption
� Seventy officers face suspension, criminal charges,
or other disciplinary action following an intensive
internal investigation /
I
�
the investigation was
professional and thorough and the results were
made public
The scope and breadth of the Interior Ministry
dragnet�and an earlier higher profile arrest of a
Ministry of Defense functionwy�are
unprecedented, although much more would need to
be done to root out chronic corruption among
Macedonian officials. The Social Democratic
Alliance of Macedonia (SDSM)-led government is
often dogged by charges of corruption and limiting
its investigations to opposition party members, but
the ongoing anti-corruption campaign suggests the
government may now be more intent on
implementing reforms required for NATO and EU
integration.
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Approved for Release: 2018/04/20 C06728911
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