North Macedonia halts investigation into ‘Mazut’ case

The investigation into the ‘Mazut’ case has been halted by the Prosecutor's Office for Organized Crime and Corruption. The decision follows findings that the collected evidence did not establish the alleged criminal acts or any other prosecutable offenses.

A central point of contention remains the definition of financial damage. Although AD ESM was listed as the injured party, the company itself reportedly did not report any financial loss. Furthermore, economic data from the period of the energy crisis suggests that the reactivation of TEЦ Negotino may have been economically justified.

Analyses indicate that the electricity produced by TEЦ Negotino was valued at approximately 155.4 million euros, whereas purchasing the same amount through the Hungarian HUPX exchange would have cost roughly 167.55 million euros, excluding transmission and import costs. Expert assessments suggest this difference of approximately 12.14 million euros indicates the production was economically viable.