North Macedonia's Supreme Court Upholds Sentence Of Fugitive Ex-Prime Minister Gruevski

North Macedonia's Supreme Court Upholds Sentence of Fugitive Ex-Prime Minister Gruevski

The Supreme Court of North Macedonia has upheld sentences of ex-Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, former Interior Minister Gordana Jankuloska and her aide over abuse of office

BELGRADE (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th September, 2020) The Supreme Court of North Macedonia has upheld sentences of ex-Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, former Interior Minister Gordana Jankuloska and her aide over abuse of office.

In May 2018, Gruevski, prime minister from 2006 to 2016 and a former head of the largest opposition VMRO-DPMNE party, was sentenced to two years on charges of abuse of office over purchase of a 500,000 euro ($593,000) luxury car. The ex-interior minister and her aide, who were found complicit in the deal, were sentenced to four and four-and-half years, respectively. Several months later, the Skopje Court of Appeal upheld the ruling. All the three appealed the decision.

"By its verdict, the Supreme Court of the Republic of North Macedonia has rejected the demands of the convicts, submitted in person and through representatives, and upheld the decisions of the Skopje Court of Appeal," the press release said.

Gruevski escaped punishment by fleeing to Hungary, where he received political asylum. Gruevski and his fellow party members are facing charges as part of several cases of corruption and abuse of office, as well as in connection with violent riots in the Macedonian parliament on April 27, 2017. The VMRO-DPMNE party calls these court proceedings "political persecution."