A Budapest court has rejected an extradition request from North Macedonia for its former prime minister, Nikola Gruevski, who fled to Hungary in November after he was sentenced to a two-year prison term for corruption.
Gruevski, who was granted asylum by Hungary, is an ally of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
He arrived in Budapest after traveling through several Balkan countries in Hungarian diplomatic vehicles, escorted by Hungarian diplomats.
North Macedonia is seeking Gruevski's extradition because of the conviction and because of several other criminal proceedings launched against him.
The Budapest Metropolitan Court said on June 27 that the extradition request cannot be granted since people given asylum cannot be extradited to the country they fled from.
The judge said the international arrest warrant issued by Skopje and the extradition request made by North Macedonia's justice minister do not fulfill the legal requirements of extradition.
Gruevski was in office for a decade until 2016.
Earlier this month, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told lawmakers that he meets regularly in his office with Gruevski to consult on Western Balkan affairs.
Hungarian Court Rejects Extradition Of North Macedonia's Ex-PM
Editors' Picks
Top Trending
1
Putin Sends Signals To The West On Ukraine Ahead Of Trump's New Term
2Kyiv Says It Broke Up Russian Spy Network Targeting F-16 Fighter Data
3Ukraine Hits Kazan Buildings In Latest Display Of Drone Power
4Russia Moving Military Assets To Africa After Syria Setback
5What Would The Russian Capture Of Pokrovsk Mean For The Ukraine War?
6The Moment A Russian General Was Killed By A Scooter Bomb In Moscow
7'They Look Tense': Photographer Describes Scenes At Russian Base In Syria
8U.S., U.K. Say Medvedev's Comment Calling NATO Officials 'Legitimate Targets' Irresponsible
9Bolstered By North Korean Troops, Russia Presses Attacks in Kursk Region
10Russian Uranium Stake In Kazakhstan Sold To China Amid Western Sanctions Risk
RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.
If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.
To find out more, click here.
