The United States has blacklisted the former Vice President of the Government of North Macedonia, Artan Grubi, and members of his immediate family, as well as the judge of the Court of Appeal, Enver Bejeti, for participating in "significant corruption", the US State Department announced.
The explanation states that Judge Bežeti and Grubi, who was also the Minister for Political System and Inter-Community Relations, received bribes for undermining the court proceedings in connection with the criminal conviction of the former director of the Directorate for Security and Counterintelligence (UBK) Saša Mijalkov.
Mijalkov, who was also put on the USA 2022 blacklist due to his involvement in "significant corruption", was sentenced to three years in prison for illegal enrichment and concealment of assets, while his sentence to 12 years in prison for the wiretapping scandal of more than 20.000 citizens was reduced to to the Court of Appeal.
In a statement on the website of the State Department, it is stated that on the International Anti-Corruption Day and before Human Rights Day, the USA is taking measures to promote accountability for those involved in corruption and human rights violations around the world, within which 14 individuals have been blacklisted.
US Ambassador to North Macedonia Enđeča Ageler wrote on the X network that no one is above the law.
"Today's appointment of Artan Grubi and Enver Bejeti is proof that political interference in the judiciary cannot and will not be tolerated. The US will continue to appoint those who participate in significant corruption that undermines democratic institutions. No one is above the law, and accountability is necessary for progress." , Ageler stated.
Mijalkov, a cousin of former Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, was the director of UBK from 2006 to 2015. He settled with the prosecution and received three years in prison for the "Empire" case, in which he pleaded guilty to illegal enrichment and concealment of assets. He moved from Skopje to Ohrid to serve three years in an open-air prison on Lake Ohrid.
In February 2021, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison in the "Target-Fortress" case. However, the verdicts for this biggest wiretapping scandal in North Macedonia, involving the mass wiretapping of more than 20.000 citizens and the illegal acquisition and destruction of wiretapping equipment, were dropped in late 2022 at the Court of Appeal.
In February, Mijalkov received an acquittal in the "Treasury" case, which related to the misuse of money from the state budget for the purchase of electronic-communication equipment for the needs of the Fifth Administration at UBK and the training of a British company for its use.
In the repeated proceedings, the Prosecution amended the indictment, and according to the court's decision, it was not proven that Mijalkov had committed a criminal offense.
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