Building Collapse Fears Amidst Corruption Arrests and Political Clashes
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Concerns are mounting in Skopje as approximately 800 residents on Anton Popov Street 1 fear their building may collapse due to ongoing excavation work by the City of Skopje for an underground traffic route. This significant domestic issue comes as a traffic police officer has been arrested on suspicion of embezzling money from parking fines, using old receipts and illicitly releasing impounded vehicles. Further political tensions were highlighted by reports from the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) that their young activists were attacked in Novo Selo during a visit by Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski.
In other domestic news, abuses in agricultural subsidies have been uncovered, with individuals reportedly claiming funds using ear tags from deceased animals, prompting the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy, Cvetan Tripunovski, to clarify that subsidies are not a social benefit. Additionally, former Minister of Local Self-Government Zlatko Perinski, now Director of the Health Insurance Fund, announced increased scrutiny on medical treatments sought abroad and on sick leave exceeding 30 days within the country. On a positive note for the national budget, the Customs Administration reported a record revenue collection for the current month, exceeding 14 billion denars.
Meanwhile, former tennis star Jelena Dokic has departed after a 'magical' stay, and political analyst Petar Arsovski discussed the 'hyper-politicization' of society and the country's stagnant progress towards EU membership, themes that continue to be debated.