New Reactions to Blacklisting of Grubi and Judge Bexheti

The reactions to Monday’s blacklisting of ex-Deputy PM Artan Grubi and Judge Enver Bexheti have continued. PM Hristijan Mickoski said on Tuesday that the designations only confirmed what his party, VMRO-DPMNE, had claimed as early as its time in opposition. As he added, he expects many corruption cases to be made public in the period ahead.

“I can only say that in the period ahead, many more confirmations of everything we had as suspicions will be made public”, he noted.

Also on Tuesday, SDSM reiterated its stand on the blacklisting, with MP Jovanka Trencevska stressing that judicial organs had to uncompromisingly take action over all suspicions of corruption and abuse of public funds. VLEN, on its part, said that the most important strategic partner of North Macedonia was always capable of directly pointing problems facing North Macedonia and its citizens.

“Had DUI had the power to deal with corruption, Ali Ahmeti would have listened to us when we were asking him to get Grubi out and expel him”, co-leader Izet Mexhiti stated, urging all members of Ahmeti’s party to leave the “sinking” and “corrupt ship”.

Levica leader Dimitar Apasiev stated, however, that the blacklisting decision was a cosmetic one. “This is a signal to the corrupt politicians from DUI not to escalate. However, nothing will change essentially,” he noted.