Macedonia's Gruevski Fled via Albania and Montenegro, Police Confirm

Albania police confirmed on Thursday evening that Macedonia's former Prime Minister, Nikola Gruevski, travelled through Albania to Montenegro on November 11 via the Hani I Hotit/Bozaj border crossing.

He travelled as a passenger in a car owned by the Hungarian embassy in Albania, according to the police announcement.

"[Macedonian] citizen Nikola Gruevski exited Albania territory on 11 November, 2018, at 19:11, from Hani i Hotit on the Montenegro border as a passenger in a car with the number plate CD1013A, owned by Embassy of Hungary in Albania," Albania police said in a press release.

Police added that at the time of passage, Interpol had not yet issued a warrant for his arrest so he was not technically a wanted person.

"Interpol Skopje had notified Interpol Tirana on 13 November that this citizen [Gruevski] was [wanted] under an international arrest warrant," it added.

Gruevski went on the run last week, when he failed to show up to start serving his two-year jail sentence for the illicit purchase of a luxury limousine.

He surfaced in Hungary on Tuesday, where has requested political asylum from authorities.

Meanwhile, Macedonia filed a formal extradition request on Thursday for the runaway former prime minister.

Read more:

Macedonia Expects Hungary to Extradite Gruevski

Gruevski's Asylum Plea Puts Orban on Spot

Fugitive Macedonian Ex-PM 'Seeking Asylum in Hungary'