Opposition SDSM leader VenkoFilipchesaid the election result in Hungary sent a clear message to the entire region that the era of autocrats was over. Filipche stressedthe result marked an end to the era during which Budapest “was a safe haven for all convicted corrupt criminals” and asked if the Government would submit an extradition request for former Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski.
“I welcome the clear and unambiguous message of the new Hungarian Prime Minister PéterMagyar from yesterday’s press conference. The new Hungarian government will no longer provide shelter to people fleeing justice. Magyar explicitly stated that Hungary will extradite those hiding on its territory and directly labeled Nikola Gruevski as a criminal. This is the final end of the era in which Budapest was a safe haven for all convicted corrupt criminals,”Filipche stressed.
The opposition leaderpoints out that after this, the current government in Macedonia is on the move, especially the Minister of Justice Igor Filkov, who adds that he is from the ZNAM party, which emerged precisely from the disgruntled members and officials of SDSM.
“Since the ZNAM Movement has already congratulated the new Hungarian Prime Minister on his victory, we now ask the following question: has this VMRO and ZNAM-led Government so far submitted an extradition request for the return of Nikola Gruevski. If not, why not? And if not, will they submit a request for the extradition of Nikola Gruevski to the country today, during the day after the statement of the new Hungarian Prime Minister,” Filipche said.
He points out that the case with Gruevski is also a symbol of the political protection he has received from Orban for years.
“Now the next question is asked, what will Nikola Gruevski, the convicted fugitive and symbol of corruption and abuse of power, do when he no longer has a protector in Budapest? For years he enjoyed the hospitality of Viktor Orbán, who protected him from justice. Will he flee elsewhere, to Russia or some other country, or will he return here to serve his sentence?”Filipcheadded.
