Sašo Mijalkov

Artan Grubi, former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Inter-Community Relations in North Macedonia, along with Appeals Court Judge Enver Bexheti, has been added to the US State Department's "blacklist" due to significant corruption. The sanctions, which also affect their families, include a ban on entering the United States.

Nikola Gruevski, who was tried in absentia, was found guilty at Skopje Criminal Court on Thursday of unlawfully acquiring over 1.3 million euros from his former ruling VMRO DPMNE party, and of instigating a money-laundering scheme to cover his tracks and buy property with the proceeds.

North Macedonia's Organised Crime Prosecution on Wednesday filed charges against the country's fugitive former prime minister, Nikola Gruevski, and some of his former close associates, in a high-profile case linked to the illicit purchase of building sites.

The Criminal Court in Skopje found Saso Mijalkov guilty in a first-instance verdict on Tuesday of abuse of office and authority for the illicit purchase of surveillance equipment under the former authoritarian regime led by the secret police chief's cousin, Nikola Gruevski.

North Macedonian law enforcement has placed the businessman Orce Kamcev in 30 days' detention in Shutka prison near Skopje, on the request of the Organised Crime Prosecution, which said there was a risk he might flee the country.

The prosecution on Sunday said it requested his detention after receiving "info from the National Security Agency that he might be preparing an escape".

After North Macedonia's government was savaged over the reported disapearance of the notorious ex-secret police chief Saso Mijalkov - days ahead of the verdict in his latest trial - Mijalkov's casual reappearance on Tuesday has added insult to injury.

Authorities in North Macedonia confirmed on Monday that they have issued a national arrest warrant for former secret police chief Saso Mijalkov, after police fruitlessly tried to find him at several locations in the capital, Skopje, on Sunday evening, to escort him to house detention on court orders. The authorities are expected to issue an international arrest warrant as well.

In one case, a lay judge failed to declare that she was the sister of the defence lawyer. The resignation or retirement of a lay judge, by law, returns the trial to the beginning, costing often months or even years of court time.

The group of ethnic Albanians appeared in court as they have been granted a retrial by the North Macedonia judicial authorities.

Macedonia's former chief of the secret police, Saso Mijalkov, who is currently on trial in several high-profile court cases, was detained on Tuesday evening and given a 30-day detention, the Skopje Criminal Court confirmed.