Transparency International Urges Hungarian Officials to Extradite Gruevski

On Tuesday, Transparency International and its chapters in Macedonia and Hungary urged Hungarian officials to extradite former PM Nikola Gruevski from Hungary, “where he is currently seeking asylum in an attempt to avoid imprisonment after a non-appealable conviction for corruption.” According to Slagjana Taseva, Chair of Transparency International Macedonia, the situation is a big test for the Macedonian and Hungarian authorities and needs to be addressed in accordance with Hungarian law. “We call on Hungarian authorities to uphold the no impunity principle, as outlined in the European Convention on Extradition,” she said. Patricia Moreira, Managing Director of Transparency International, said that the two countries should uphold the rule of law and that Nikola Gruevski had to be held accountable to Macedonia’s citizens for his corrupt acts during his time as PM. “No politician should be allowed to get away with corruption charges, particularly after the courts have clearly ruled in favour of conviction,” she stressed. The statements had been made before Gruevski’s Facebook post, in which he said he’d been granted asylum.