14.01.2010 The audio clip posted on YouTube, which revealed the state market inspectorate chief's involvement in racketeering and shut-down of a disco club, was singled out as bleakest event in December.

The broadcast of audio clip which raised suspicions on the performance of the State Market Inspectorate received 12 "bleak" votes in the Light-Bleak opinion poll conducted by independent news agency Makfax and NGO Transparency - Zero Corruption. The respondents included 20 chief editors of print and electronic media in Macedonia.

Sasa Akimovski, the chief inspector, was dismissed by the government in the wake of the scandal. However, it is still not clear who conducted the wiretapping and whether the audio clip is credible.

Six "bleak" votes went to Macedonian public broadcaster MTV, after the state television forced the citizens to pay 15 broadcasting tax bills.

Experts say the country's public service breached the law by depriving the citizens of their rights to pay equal installments.

The compromising audio clip posted on YouTube was also singled out as the lightest event in December, according to votes by 13 editors.

It sets a positive example on how social networks can be used in the fight against corruption and also in the fights against all forms of illegal behavior and abuse of office in public administration.

The warding of certificates on good corporate governance in 2009 was ranked second in the list of light events in December. It received seven votes.

This activity strengthens the good governance standards and also strengthens the overall anti-corruption measures in Macedonia's private sector.

The respondents in Light-Bleak poll included editors-in-chief of A1 TV, Alsat TV, Alfa TV, Kanal 5 TV, Sitel TV, Telma TV, Nasa TV, Radio Kanal 77; daily newspapers Biznis, Vest, Vecer, Vreme, Dnevnik, Lajm, Nova Makedonija, Utrinski Vesnik; weekly newspapers Globus, Kapital, Fokus and Forum.

The poll has been conducted in the past five years as part of anti-corruption efforts.