Titanic trial adjourned for Sept 24 due to illness of defendant Protugjer

Trial in Special Prosecutor’s Office (SPO) case dubbed “Titanic” has been adjourned Wednesday due to the illness of the defendant Martin Protugjer for September 24.

Protugjer’s lawyer Donco Nakov submitted to the court the medical documentation and explained that defendant was urgently taken late Tuesday to emergency care unit.

The prosecutor Lile Stefanovska said that the medical report proves that the defendant was prevented to attend the court hearing, but it is valid for seven days.

All other defendants attended today’s hearing.

“Titanic” case refers to crimes related to election irregularities, whereat twenty-one individuals are indicted, including former PM Nikola Gruevski, former officials Martin Protugjer, Kiril Bozinovski, Mile Janakieski, Gordana Jankuloska, Biljana Briskoska Boskovska, Ilija Dimovski, Munir Pepic, Edmond Temelko, Leko Ristovski, Kiril Todorovski, Katerina Velovska, Stanko Korunovski, Kosta Markovski, Dragce Dragceski, Marjan Nakevski, Goce Janevski, Xhezmi Ahmet, Robert Davitkov, Dalibor Aleskovic and Lenka Rasajkovska.

They are suspected of criminal association, violation of voting rights, violation of the freedom of choice, election bribes, destruction of electoral material and abuse of funds for financing election campaign in 2012.