Prosecutor seeks detention for food agency inspector suspected of taking €250 bribe from a company

The Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office in Skopje has opened an investigation into a 42-year-old inspector with the Food and Veterinary Agency (FVA), suspected of the criminal offense of “accepting a bribe” under Article 357, paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code.

According to the Prosecutor’s Office, between September 17 and 25, the food inspector requested and accepted €250 from the manager of a legal entity. In exchange, she was supposed to draw up a report stating that she had conducted an inspection and found no irregularities at the premises, and that all necessary operating procedures had been followed.

The public prosecutor has asked the preliminary proceedings judge to order her detention. The Prosecutor’s Office bases its request on the risk that the suspect may flee, the possibility that she may influence the injured party and their testimony, and the risk that she may repeat the offense of which she is suspected by using her position as an inspector.