Investigation into €167 Million Mazut Affair Reopened, Politicians’ Family Members Also Named in Case

The Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office has reopened its review of the “Mazut” affair, a complex financial and energy-related investigation worth €167 million. The decision to terminate the proceedings has been annulled, while further investigative actions have been requested to clarify the legality of mazut procurement for the Negotino Thermal Power Plant during the energy crisis, INA reports.

The case involves 13 individuals and one company. In May 2026, the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office for the Prosecution of Organized Crime and Corruption decided to close the investigation, arguing that there was no evidence of ecological pollution and that the state-owned North Macedonia Power Plants (ESM) had not suffered financial damage, as supplies had continued normally during the crisis.

Following an appeal filed by ESM, the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office identified significant shortcomings in the economic expert analyses conducted so far. For this reason, it ordered the case to be returned for further investigation, with the aim of determining possible individual and institutional responsibility.

Those being examined include the officials responsible for the key decisions concerning the tenders. The case file names Ratko Kapushevski and Erxhan Sulkoski, owners of the company “RKM,” which won the tender; Asmir Jahoski, owner of “Pucko Petrol”; and former ESM director Vasko Kovacevski.

Unofficial sources say that family members of politicians, along with other public figures, may also be involved in the affair.

Minister of Internal Affairs Panche Toshkovski said yesterday that the information he had received about the case could shock the public following the decision to reopen the mazut case.

“In accordance with the information shared with me by those who worked intensively on that case, I am certain that the information related to the case that has been shared with me will shock the public when it is made public. That is all I will say, and I will leave it to the investigation to take its course,” Toshkovski said.

However, the minister did not answer whether the individuals currently suspected in the case are in the country or not.

The affair has sparked intense debate and deep divisions in the public, with political accusations clashing with arguments based on economic assessments.

VMRO-DPMNE, the ruling party, had previously said that the initial decision by prosecutors Islam Abazi and Katerina Kollareviq to close the case was an “amnesty for the crimes of structures close to SDSM and DUI.” On the other hand, several economic experts and media analyses argue that the purchase of mazut “saved millions,” because the Negotino Thermal Power Plant produced cheaper electricity at a time when imported electricity was trading at exceptionally high prices. The outcome is expected to be determined by the new financial and technical expert analyses. (INA)