North Macedonia to Renew Push to Extradite Fugitive Ex-PM Gruevski

North Macedonia's Justice Minister, Krenar Loga, told Monday's briefing with reporters in Skopje that his country would renew efforts to extradite former PM Nikola Gruevski who fled to Hungary to avoid a jail term.

Loga, who became Justice Minister last month during the latest reshuffle, said that in a letter he would soon send to Hungary, he would again seek the extradition of Gruevski so he could be tried in nine ongoing court cases against him.

He said he would note that if he was extradited, Gruevski would be held in the so-called "Hague cells" in the country's biggest prison, Idrizovo, that were built to the highest international standards.

"I think this would be acceptable for the Hungarian authorities … If they ask us to fulfil even more obligations, we are open for cooperation," Loga said.

Gruevski, who ruled the country from 2006 to 2016 in authoritarian style, fled to Hungary in 2018 to avoid serving a two-year jail sentence for the illicit purchase of a luxury limousine.

He is also either suspected or accused, or already sentenced in absentia, in several other cases. Most are related to misuse of office.

Last year, Gruevski was convicted over an illegal property scheme and he is also likely to face trial for his alleged role in the organisation of the 2017 rampage in parliament that his then embattled VMRO DPMNE party tried to use unsuccessfully to cling to power.

This would be the fourth time that North Macedonia is asking for Gruevski's extradition after three failed attempts in 2018, 2019 and in 2021. Hungary has so far been responding that the conditions for his extradition have not been fulfilled since he enjoys political asylum there.

Gruevski who is harboured by his close ally, Hungary's...