The Skopje Appellate Court overturned the first-instance verdict against the former director of the National Agency for European Education Programs and Mobility, LidijaDimova, and returned the case for a retrial before the Skopje Basic Criminal Court.
As the court informed, after a public session held on March 11 this year, the appeals of both the defense and the prosecution were upheld, after which the verdict was overturned due to substantial violations of the criminal procedure.
According to theAppellate Court, the verdict did not clearly determine for which specific actions the defendant was found guilty and for which she was acquitted, which represents a serious omission in the procedure.
The case with all the files was returned to the first-instance court on March 30, 2026, where it will need to be reviewed again.
Earlier, the Basic Criminal Court sentenced Dimova to two years in prison for abuse of office and authority, as well as an obligation to compensate the National Agency for damage in the amount of MKD 22.7 million.
According to the verdict, Dimova is obliged to compensate the National Agency for damage in the amount of MKD 22.7 million within six months. In addition, she must cover court costs and pay a court fee of MKD 10,000.
Judge FankaJanchuleva-Mihailovska acquitted Dimova of the charge of fraud, and the third defendant Ana Pavlidou was also acquitted of the criminal offense of work negligence.
However, the Appellate Court assessed that the first-instance verdict had substantial shortcomings, which is why the entire case will be retried.
