Government clarifies arrest of secretary-general’s driver on suspicion of bribery

The driver of the government secretary-general, I,J, was arrested on September 4, 2026, after allegedly requesting a €1,500 bribe and being caught red-handed accepting €500 of that amount.

The government said the money had been marked in advance and that the arrest was carried out as part of an operation conducted in cooperation with the competent institutions. According to the statement, the person identified by the initials D.C. was detained at the moment the money was handed over.

“We inform you that the person identified by the initials D.C. was arrested for accepting a bribe, using pre-marked banknotes, after which he was deprived of his liberty. The initial report regarding the bribe request came at the initiative of the institutions to which the bribe request had been reported,” the government said in its statement.

The institution clarified that at the time he allegedly committed the unlawful act, the arrested man was working as a driver serving the General Secretariat of the Government.

Previously, he had been employed by the Government’s Service for General and Common Affairs, like other employees of the institutions.

According to the government, the operation was carried out with the participation of services from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, while the marked money was handed to the suspect in advance as part of the operation.

The government presented the case as an indication that the fight against corruption must be applied without exception. “This operation is part of the government’s commitment to an uncompromising fight against corruption. This case shows that the laws apply to everyone and demonstrates the government’s will and determination to fight corruption,” the statement said.

The government also assessed that the case underscores the role of interinstitutional cooperation in identifying and addressing suspected acts of corruption.