Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev rejected claims that he had any political deal with his predecessor, Nikola Gruevski, who fled to Hungary to avoid serving a prison sentence, calling him a "coward".
Zaev said that he expects Hungary to deliver him to Macedonia and that he will serve a sentence of two years in prison for the illegal purchase of a luxury "Mercedes".
"I strongly and categorically reject all speculations for any political agreement with Nikola Gruevski... I am convinced that sooner or later Gruevski will return and will serve his sentence, and he will certainly be in court to defend himself for other crimes for which he was convicted suspect," said the Macedonian Prime Minister.
Zaev said that the Hungarian Ministry of the Interior contacted the Macedonian Interior Ministry and confirmed that Gruevski was there and that he had applied for asylum and asked for information about what he was convicted of in Macedonia.
"The sentences must be served, so we will do what is in our power to extradite Gruevski. Some procedures have already been started," he said, adding that Hungary is a country that will not allow international agreements to be violated.
According to Zaev, Gruevski is a coward because he previously said that he would take responsibility and go to prison just so that others would not be subject to court proceedings, and now he has fled the country.
"What a coward he is who said all the time that he was ready to go to prison for Macedonia, just so that others would not be a target. The moment of accepting responsibility comes, and he runs away trying to get amnesty," said Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev.
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