Macedonia files new charges against fugitive ex-premier
Posted November 22, 2018 11:11 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
SKOPJE, Macedonia — A Macedonian special prosecutor has filed additional criminal charges against the country’s former prime minister, who has fled to Hungary seeking political asylum.
The charges brought Thursday against Nikola Gruevski are for alleged unlawful funding of his conservative VMRO-DPMNE party and abuse of power during construction of the party headquarters in the capital, Skopje.
Gruevski, who was head of government from 2006-2016, escaped to Hungary last weekend to avoid serving a two-year prison sentence for corruption.
Considered a close ally of right-wing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Gruevski has said Hungary has granted him asylum, but authorities in Budapest have not yet confirmed that officially. Macedonia is seeking his extradition.
Gruevski already faces trial in Macedonia on different charges and is under investigation for other alleged wrongdoing.
The Associated Press
