Verdicts Reached in Double Case

The trial over the Double case, which concerns illegal issuance of passports to foreign
citizens, started on Wednesday. After the confession by five defendants, a verdict was
reached. The mediator, Riaf Miftari, who had been at large but surrendered last week,
was given a sentence of two years and three months. The other four defendants, who are
Interior Ministry employees, were each given sentences of over two years, while one was
given a suspended sentence. More specifically, Denis Barufi will spend two years and
seven months behind bars, Alen Licina was sentenced to two years and three months,
Gjorge Velkov was given two years, and Faruk Bila received a six-month suspended
sentence. Defendants Faruk Buki, Vesna Kolevska, Olivera Sofronievska, Branislava
Vladicevska, and Shemsedin Jashari pled not guilty.