The entire assets of media mogul Velija Ramkovski, the owner of A1 television, the daily newspapers Vreme, Spic and *** e Re will not be frozen although he and another 13 suspects in the operation “Cobweb” have been detained on suspicion of having committee crime of 17 million euros. According to the Interior Ministry, Ramkovski created a criminal group suspected of money laundering, tax evasion, criminal association, embezzlement and deceiving creditors.

According to Dnevnik’s information, the Prosecution did not call for freezing or confiscating the assets of Ramkovski or any of the other suspects mostly because media are concerned. This possibility, however, under the criminal law, exists and the measure may be called for in any stage of the pre-investigative, investigative or court procedure, sources from the investigation explain.

A number of associations, including the association of journalists, intellectuals and political parties asked that unobstructed functioning of all of Ramkovski’s media be ensured.

Ramkovski’s defense attorney Miroslav Vujic confirmed that freezing of assets had not been called for.

“Freezing of asses or blocking of accounts has not yet been requested,” he briefly explained.

Dnevnik’s sources say that in this stage of the procedure the authorities will think carefully whether to call for a security measure, such as temporary freezing of assets, because this measure may directly or indirectly close a few big media houses and dozens of firms controlled by Ramkovski.

Dnevnik’s interlocutors say such a scenario would induce reactions from the foreign factors, as well as from international institutions because pluralism in Macedonia’s media market will be reduced.