March 07, 2018 - 7:09 AM
SKOPJE, Macedonia - Five members of Macedonia's state anti-corruption commission have stepped down because of an unfolding spending scandal.
The latest three resignations came on Wednesday after two other members, including the head of the commission, stepped down earlier this week. Parliament still has to formally accept the resignations.
The seven-member body now has only two members left.
Local media have published a State Revenue Office report suggesting that some of the commission's members submitted unrealistically high travel spending claims.
The public prosecutor's office has opened an investigation into the claims.
Macedonian government spokesman Mile Boshnjakovski welcomed the resignations.
The anti-corruption body elected in April 2015 was mentioned in various European Union reports as one of the country's weakest links in the fight against widespread corruption.
News from © The Associated Press, 2018