North Macedonia Checks Prosecutor in Extortion Case

The Prosecution for Organised Crime and Corruption confirmed on Monday night that it has taken the mobile phone of outgoing chief Special Prosecutor Katica Janeva to check for possible communications with two suspected extortionists.

Janeva's phone was taken as part of an investigation to collect further evidence into two businessmen who are suspected of extorting money - Bojan Jovanovski, who is known by the nickname Boki 13, and Zoran Milevski, alias Zoki Kiceec.

The head of the Prosecution for Organised Crime and Corruption, Vilma Ruskoska, told media that only two people are listed as suspects in the case so far and that Janeva is not classified as a suspect.

"The procedure has been opened up in order to see who is involved in the whole incident," Ruskoska said.

Earlier on Monday, Janeva unexpectedly submitted her resignation as head of the crime-busting Special Prosecution.

She cited her frustration with an ongoing tussle between the government of North Macedonia and the opposition over a law that will determine the fate of the Special Prosecution.

Shortly afterwards, the arrests of Jovanovski, owner of the private 1TV channel, and Milevski were announced. Both were later brought before a court and remanded in custody for 30 days.

At a press conference on Monday, the Prosecution for Organised Crime said that the two suspects, who it did not name, are suspected of "accepting a reward for unlawful influence" and of money laundering.

The prosecution explained that two suspects had allegedly extorted money from a third person, who is a suspect in another unnamed case, in exchange for a promise that they would help him avoid a jail sentence or get a lighter one by using their alleged influence over the prosecutor...