How a simple fact-check uncovered a national scandal and exposed systemic weaknesses in public appointments
When a country votes for change, trust becomes the most valuable political currency. In North Macedonia, that trust was tested just months after the 2024 elections, when allegations surfaced that the newly appointed head of the National Security Agency, Bojan Hristovski, had submitted a fake English-language certificate to meet the qualification requirements for the role.
The investigation that followed, led by journalists Aleksandar Dimitrievski and Mihail Miloshevski from the outlet 360 stepeni, not only uncovered serious irregularities but also revealed broader systemic vulnerabilities in public appointments. Their work, titled “Following Julia’s Footsteps,” earned them the first prize at the EU Investigative Journalism Award 2025.
“The previous government lost the elections in 2024 mainly due to perceived corruption and absence of rule of law among the electorate. So, when a bold claim went public – that one of the most important appointees of the new government, the chief of the National Security Agency, has a fake English language certificate, we felt obliged to determine if the claim is true or false”, Dimitrievski explains.
A Suspicion Turns Into a Full Investigation
The first sign that the problem was more serious than a political rumour came through basic reporting discipline. “By simple, old-school fact-checking. And with a lot of persistence and teamwork,” Dimitrievski says.
The formal requirements for leading a public institution in North Macedonia include holding a recognised certificate in one of the major EU languages. TOEFL is one such recognised credential. In an interview for 360 stepeni, Hristovski himself claimed to have taken the exam at an agency in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, a company named “Julija Co.”This detail raised immediate red flags.
“We started to explore the local databases for ‘Julija Co., ’ the local laws and bylaws related to language certificates, the Bulgarian Business registry, and tried direct telephone/e-mail contact with ‘Julija Co.,’” Dimitrievski recounts.
What followed was textbook investigative persistence. The team traveled to Plovdiv, visited each address linked to the company, and discovered that neither Julija Co. nor related entities existed there anymore. They learned that the owner had moved to Greece, and Bulgarian business records showed the company had declared zero income since 2019, long before Hristovski claimed to have taken the TOEFL exam in 2022.
Further probing uncovered that the courts in North Macedonia had previously convicted individuals for using fake certificates issued by the same company. Even more strikingly, the country did not recognise Julija Co. as a valid regional TOEFL center at all.
Dimitrievski explains that one of the most disturbing findings was that the head of the National Security Agency was appointed with an invalid language certificate, and that hundreds of other officials might have been appointed similarly.
Reactions and Ripple Effects
The story quickly gained national attention. “Many news outlets republished our findings, the issue became a public scandal, it was debated in the media and in the Parliament,” Dimitrievski notes. Within weeks, multiple oversight institutions, the Anticorruption Commission, the police, and the Public Prosecutor’s Office, began taking action.
But institutional responses proved inconsistent and, at times, evasive.
“The State Anticorruption commission decided that they don’t have the authority to check if the certificate in question is fake or original,” Dimitrievski explains. The police referred the case to prosecutors, who chose to request international legal assistance from Bulgaria, a lengthy process – instead of verifying the TOEFL certificate through the exam’s global organisers, a far more straightforward method.
In the end, charges against Hristovski were dropped, partially because the prosecutor could not determine all the facts regarding “Julija Co.”
Despite the anticlimactic conclusion, the investigation sparked broader reflection on the usefulness, legitimacy, and verification of language certificates required for public appointments. Some laws amended in Parliament now include more flexible ways for candidates to prove language proficiency, a direct consequence of the scandal.
The Value of Persistence
For Dimitrievski, the investigation underscores a principle at the heart of journalism: follow facts, not assumptions.
“I would say the same thing as for any in-depth or investigative story. Facts are your best friends. Logic is a good guide, but never mistake it for a fact.”
While the main story is now closed, he notes there may still be related angles to explore, especially given the implications for other public officials who may have used similar certificates.
A Case That Exposed More Than a Fake Document
“Following Julia’s Footsteps” revealed more than a fraudulent certificate. It exposed systemic weaknesses in the country’s vetting processes, demonstrated the fragility of public trust, and showed how investigative journalism can become a catalyst for institutional accountability, even when justice takes a convoluted path.
Through persistence, fieldwork, and unwavering adherence to facts, Dimitrievski and his team pushed a story from rumour to national reckoning, proving once again the power and necessity of journalism in protecting democratic standards.
