Budapest court refuses to extradite Nikola Gruevski

Hungary decided not to extradite former Prime Minister, now fugitive, Nikola Gruevski, according to a Budapest court ruling on Thursday.

The court said extradition requirements were not met and refused to fulfill the Ministry of Justice’s request for Gruevski’s extradition to North Macedonia.

Earlier today, Hungarian media published courtroom photos and video of Gruevski wearing sunglasses and a baseball hat.

Some reports said he had been arrested and taken to court, his hands covered with a jacket and accompanied by two people.

Hungarian authorities notified the Ministry of Justice last week they had received the extradition request.

Nikola Gruevski, who was convicted to two years in prison in the SPO’s Tank trial, fled to Hungary, where he received asylum.

The Public Prosecution indicted Gruevski on allegations that he ordered the violence on April 27, 2017, in Parliament, and the Ministry of Justice sent another extradition request on that account, as well.